Young Blood
by April
Summary: Something very strange is happening to Logan. Add in Jubilee, and watch the fireworks fly!
1. Default Chapter

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Author: April (Lioness)

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Summary: What if the removal of Wolverine's adamantium didn't regress him, and instead…well, read on! I hope that got you curious!

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Disclaimer: Yeah, Marvel owns 'em, but it doesn't have to be so happy about it.

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Rating: R…some cussing, some not-quite-sexual situations. You can handle it.

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Young Blood

Surprisingly enough, it was Storm who noticed it first. 

"Does he not look younger, Rogue?"

"Well..." Rogue squinted against the harsh light outside the Xavier institute. Logan was running laps on the track outside.

"Ah suppose he does, but it's not like I'd bet on it. Y' should probably ask Jean, sugah, she notices things like that."

"Things like what?"

Rogue jumped a foot.

"Mah goodness, Jean, you startled me!"

"Sorry, Rogue, that wasn't my intention," Jean said sympathetically, before turning to Storm.

"You wanted to ask me something?"

Storm looked at Jean and blushed, "No, it was silly of me. Really." Jean smiled.

"Well, you know where to find me."

* * * 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGHH!!!"

The morning was pierced by a bloodcurdling scream. Scott Summers, sunk deep in a blissfull sleep, jumped out of bed, knocking his sleeping glasses off in the process. Jean, who had risen moments earlier yelled, "Glasses, Scott! Your glasses!!"

Scott's hand immediatly fumbled for his day visor, sitting on the night stand.

"I know, mom, I know!" He mumbled confusedly in a sleepy voice.

Jean stopped dead. Crisis or no crisis....

"Mom?"

Cyclops turned white.

"Oh, Jesus, Jean. It was a mistake! I'm sorry!"

Scott's spirit sank to his feet as he knew he was getting kicked out of bed for a week, no matter how many "I'm sorry's" he gave. The yell came again, followed by a string of curses.

"What the devil...Is that Remy, or Logan?"

"Dunno. Didn't sound French to me."

"Define 'French.' I better go check it out."

Clutching a robe around her, Jean left her dear husband to adjust his visor while she rushed to the rescue.

"What the flamin' hell?!! Is this some kinda PRANK? I swear to God I'll gut that Cajun in cold blood if.."

"Logan. Logan! LOGAN!!" Jean yelled. Wolverine spun around to face her and her voice trailed up into a question.

"...Logan?..."

Even to her, he was barely recognizable. All his sideburns and stubble were gone. He looked quite clean-shaven. But it was more than that. Lines, that for as long as Jean had known him had been imprinted on his face, were gone. He looked fifteen years younger. It was a minute before Jean realized he had been talking.

"...dunno how they snuck up on me. Ain't like I can't grow it back, Jeannie, but..."

He stopped talking when he realized she was staring.

"What?"

"Logan...that's not all that's...different...about you."

"What?! Ya mean I got a 'kick me' sign written on me or somethin', too?"

"No...I think we'd better get you down to the medlab."

Wolverine really didn't think this was necessary, but Jean was the last woman alive he'd refuse, so he held out his arm.

"Lead the way, darlin'." 

They walked out of the room, Wolverine uneasily rubbing his chin.

* **

"Fascinating!" Hank said. "Amazing!" 

He was beginning to get a bit of the Mad Scientist look on his face.

"Why not let us in on the secret, Hank?" Wolverine asked tiredly. He'd been stitting on the edge of the medlab bed listening to Hank's unexplained expressions of astonishment for what seemed like hours. Before that he'd been put through a battery of tests. Not that they were horrible, but to Logan any medical test was a bad medical test.

Hank took a deep breath and turned to face the room.

"It seems as if the removal of the adamantium from your system had reinstated previous genetic codes, liscensing.."

"English, Hank."

The blue doctor frowned deeply and furrowed his brow.

"Your immune system-- Healing factor, if you will, after recovering from the adamantium trauma, his begun working at..."

He checked his calculations.

"Roughly 500% effectiveness, as of nonadamantium Wolverine."

"An' yer sayin' because my healin' factor's working so good now, I'm losin' my hair?"

"The loss of your sideburns was a mere side effect of a much larger picture, I'm afraid. Since your factor is working at such an accelerated rate, it seems to be 'de-aging' you. Which is simply reverting each of your cells back to it's prime. Pardon me for such unscientific language.." He took a breath, "But this is certainly an unprecedented event."

"How young am I gonna get, Hank? We need to start buyin' diapers?"

"I cannot be certain, my friend, but I believe it will only take you back to what we call the age of 'peak performance.'"

"How old is that?"

"In human males, it is generally from sixteen to eighteen years of age."

The silence hung heavy in the room as both men tried to absorb the implications.

"Logan." The stern voice of the Professor drew him out of his reverie.

"I'm afraid if Hank is correct...necessarry measures must be taken."

"Necessary measures? I ain't gettin' crazy, or violent, or anything. Just younger. According to Hank."

Dr.McCoy humphed at this shot at his credibility.

"Look, Logan, if what he says is true, I've made arrangements to send you to Generation X."

"What?"

Logan sprang off the table, claws itching the backs of his hands.

"I'm sorry, Logan, I weighed all the other options, but. well...You don't look like an adult anymore. You look to be a teenager, and in the law's eyes, a child. That comes with a tremendous number of liabilities. If the government thinks we're letting children fight on the X-Men..."

"What about Kitty? Jubilee?"

"Times have changed, Logan. The FOH is more rabid than ever now. I realize you are still a valuable member of this team, whether or not you have physically changed. I just think it would be better if..."

"Bullshit." Wolverine said, and stalked out of the room.

"Well, professor?" McCoy asked tentatively.

"He'll come to his senses. Just give him time."

***

The doorbell rang, and Jubilee dropped her copy of _Cosmo _to leap over the sofa and answer it. Dull hadn't begun to describe the day she'd had. It basically involved her, the T.V., and a couple of bags of Funions.

"Hello, welcome to--" She stopped dead as she flung the door open.

"Wolvie?..."

I didn't look like Wolverine, but...It did. It looked like Wolverine's son. If Wolverine had a son. Whoever he was, the man standing at the door looked embarrased to be there.

"Hey, darlin'. There's been a..uh...sort of...accident involvin' my healin' factor."

Jubilee's eyes were very close to bulging out of her head. A very odd feeling was stirring within her, and she had the strange to desire to say, "They say milk does a body good, but, damn, how much did you drink?"

"What? Did you say somethin' about milk, Jubes?"

"Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's me." He said defensively. "Who else is it gonna be? Howsabout a 'I'm so glad yer here?'"

"I'm so glad you're here," Jubilee said mechanically, staring at him in a way that made him feel quite uncomfortable.

"Gee, darlin', thanks," He said sarcastically. "Ya sure know how to make a man feel all warm an' fuzzy inside."

Jubilee said nothing, just stood. She seemed to have gone dumb.

"C'n I come in?" 

Jubilee blinked. "Yeah, sure, come on in, Wolvie."

Wolverine came indoors, put down his bags, and stretched his aching back. The pain vanished almost immediately, but it still felt good to stretch. He pulled out a cigar and struck a match against the wall, surveying his surroundings. "You mind?" He asked Jubilee. She shook her head. But apparently, someone else had other ideas.

"Young man! Put that thing out of my sight immediately!" 

Totally unused to the authority in the voice, Wolverine turned to face a very angry-looking White Queen.

"We do not allow smoking in this house. Or outside this house, for that matter. Also no drinking, swearing, --"

"Look, lady," Wolverine said, "I don't know who you think you are, but I ain't about to take orders from anybody."

Emma Frost was positively white with rage.

"You will do as you are told in this house of face the consequences. As of this moment, you are confined to your room until further notice."

Her eyes challenged him to disobey. But Wolverine simply looked disbelieving.

"Yer sending me to my room? Like I was..." He suddenly stopped, and Jubilee didn't see the cause until she followed his gaze and saw he was staring into a mirror across the hall. Emma pointed one slim finger up the stairs.

"Go."

***

"Jubes, he's been up there for two whole days. Aren't you worried he's gonna starve?"

Jubilee looked impatiantly at Jono.

"Of course I am! But I also know he ain't coming down 'till he's good 'n' ready to."

"Don't you think you could...Help him out a bit?" Paige asked, picking a bit of the skin on her forearm. "I mean, I feel kinda sorry for the guy."

"Maybe you're right," Jubilee said. "And stop doing that! It's just...ick!" She played with her earring, trying to think something up.

"Hey...could you guys get lost for a couple hours?"

"I thought we were your friends!"

Paige elbowed Jono in the stomach. "It's for the plan, stupid. Sure."

Wolverine heard the knock on the door, growled, and pulled a pillow over his head. What he really, really, needed, he had decided, was a good meal, a good fuck, and lots and lots of alcohol. Not necesarrily in that order. And whoever was knocking was not likely to provide any of the three.

Jubilee stood outside and knocked louder, although she was sure he had heard her the first time.

"Go 'way." Came the growled response.

"You gonna open the door, Wolvie, or do I haveta kick it in?"

Silence.

"You know I'll do it." She leaned back, preparing to brace herself. The door swung open to reveal Wolverine, a bit worse for the wear. He didn't look happy, to say the least. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and he looked thinner, probably because he hadn't eaten in two days. The two points that were his hair, were alternately flattened and dissheveled. He wore the same clothes he's come in with.

"Whaddya want?"

"Geez...you look terrible." Jubilee started.

"That what you came to tell me? Already know that." He said dryly, starting to close the door in Jubilee's face.

"Hey!" Jubilee said, pushing her way in. "I didn't clear everyone out of here to have you stay locked up in here."

He looked suspiciously at her.

"Nobody's here?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Not even Emma?"

"Frosty's a convention somwhere or other."

Wolverine reluctantly let the door swing open and ran his hand through his wild hair. He seemed to be considering.

"Jubes...what's happened to me..."

"We'll deal with it," She promised quickly. "But just 'cause somethin' wierd is happening to you doesn't mean I'm not here for you."

He thought about this. A nice statement on Jubilee's part. Best not to mention it was getting harder and harder not to stare at her chest. And legs. Funny he was unaware she'd ever even had them before.

"You got any food around here, darlin'? I'm starving..."

She smiled. "Follow me."

Shaking off the feeling of a sense of impending doom, Wolverine followed her to the kitchen.

***

Wolverine surveyed the contents of the freezer. He reached in and tossed out a package of hamburger meat, a steak, and a package of what smelled to be chicken breast. They all fell on the table, one on top of the other.

"Tight!" Jubilee commented, leaning against a chair, "How'd ya do that?"

He shrugged and allowed himself a small smile as he shut the freezer door. 

"Practice."

Once his meal was on the table, he started in immediately. He didn't know whether it was being younger, or just not eating for so long, but he was positively ravenous. As he inhaled his lunch, Jubilee thought she was about to lose hers.

"Ugh! That's disgusting, Logan! Can't you cook it first?" Jubilee asked as he hungrily devoured raw hamburger. He paused between bites.

"No." Then he held out a portion. "Want some?"

He laughed as Jubilee turned a very becoming shade of green. After he'd finished it all off, he turned back to Jubilee.

"You wouldn't happen to have any beer, wouldja?"

Jubilee smiled rather wickedly.

"Depends on how bad you want it."

He raised his eyebrow. Jubilee laughed, and suddenly disappeard from view. It took Logan a moment to realize she had gotten down on all fours and was prying up a floorboard of the kitchen. It came up with a light 'snap,' and Jubilee fished out two cans of beer. Logan whistled.

"How much ya got down there?"

Jubilee looked a little embarrassed. "A lot...it's mostly for the guys."

He nodded, popping open his can. Jubilee looked at him, eyes lingering on his face. She'd been doing that a lot lately. His nose, which had always had a sharp crook, probably from being broken so many times, was at a softer angle. He still had a strong chin but he looked...younger. And good. She found herself staring. She looked away, trying to cover for herself.

"You want a cigar or anything?"

To her surprise, he blanched at this.

"Unmm...no thanks...I ain't really...In the mood." This sounded weak, even to him.

"Why not? What's wrong?" She asked, surprised. He looked a little hesitant, then pulled up his sleeve. Jubilee slapped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. On his arm was a small patch that read "Nicoderm CQ."

"They made me, Jubes. I guess just 'cause all the smoke didn't hurt me didn't mean I wasn't addicted. I been chewin' that damn gum for two days. Orange flavor my ass, that stuff tastes like plaster o' paris."

"Does this mean I get to call you 'Patch' again?" Jubilee asked, still trying not to laugh. Wolverine growled at her and they finished the beers in silence.

"We got about two hours left before they get back." Jubilee called over her shoulder as she left the room. "Follow me."

He trailed her up the stairs, into a room two doors down from hers.

"This your room?" He asked. She nodded. He scanned it, looking over it's contents. Shelves of magazines. Clothes on the floor. Make up. Various posters. His eyes settled on the cowboy hat on top of her dresser. She blushed a little when she saw him staring at it.

"I just came in here to get something. Sit down if ya want," She gestured to the bed, then opened a drawer and began to rummage. She found whatever she was looking for fairly quickly and held it up. It was a comb. 

"Oh, no ya don't Jubes.." Logan said, a warning tone in his voice.

"Don't be a baby about it Logan!"

"Stay away from me with that thing.."

"Look, I'm just gonna comb your hai--"

"Not if you can't catch me," Wolverine yelled before, disappearing from her room. Jubilee, a smile stretching her face, ran after him. She jumped the stairs, just in time to see him disappear back into the kitchen.

"Come back here!"

"Make me!" 

Jumping the kitchen table, she ran through and out into the den. Dead end. He had to be in here somewhere. She saw a blur out of the corner of her eye before he tackled her. She screamed in surprise, then gave him a low grade paf. It distracted him long enough for her to reach for his throat, but he was too quick for her. He rolled the both of them over, pinning Jubilee's hands behind her head, one hand propping him up. He grinned wolfishly as she struggled beneath him.

"I win."

She brought a knee up, not hard enough to seriously hurt him, but enough that he released her wrists. She took him by the shirt collar and rolled them over again so that she was straddling him. Grinning, she leaned down so that their faces were inches apart.

"I win."

They were both breathing hard, and suddenly both very aware of their situation. Jubilee was close enough she could smell that wonderful musky smell that was Logan she stared down into his eyes, momentarily paralyzed. Logan, in a move borne more of desperation than anything else, tossed Jubilee quickly off him. He was dazed, and scared to death at what he'd almost let happen. At what he'd wanted to happen. They both sat there for a moment, on the floor of the den, both unwilling to admit what had just taken place. Jubilee felt something sharp under the palm of her hand, and realized she'd never let go of the comb.

Logan put up little resistance as she parted his hair and started to work through it. She unknotted a strand enough to pull the comb through. He really had wonderful hair. It was thick, and soft, and jet black. She finished one side in silence, as the hair formed it's natural point.

Wolverine closed his eyes and tried to keep from dozing off. The combing had a remarkably tranquilizing effect, and it felt so good. Jubilee knew it, and that's why he'd run. Why had he run? What had happened? He let the question go as he settled his head more comfortably against her shoulder. Did it bother him because, in a way, what they were doing now was intimate? Somehow it felt so...right.

He was sleepy enough that the tiny click his sensitive hearing picked up didn't register for a few seconds. Then he leaped up, making Jubilee let out a yelp.

"Logan, wai--"

But before the words were even out of her mouth, he was gone.

"Anybody hooooommmmee?" She heard a voice from the doorway call.

"Yeah, right here," She said in a less-than-enthusiastic tone. She sighed. Maybe tomorrow…

TO BE CONTINUED…

That is, if you want it. Let me know!


	2. Love Hurts

**SUMMARY:** Things go wrong between Wolverine and Jubilee-- but will they fix it, or kill each other trying?

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RATING: This one could probably pass a PG-13, if not for 'fuck,'

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DISCLAIMER: Marvel, bite me. 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok…I won't lie to you. This is basically a filler chapter to set up for what's coming next (which, hopefully won't disappoint) I won't say too much, other than there's some romance, angst, and senseless violence around the bend. Also, if anyone could send me a little profile of Gen X, I would be very grateful. I hate to admit the only one I really know is Jubilee, and for accuracy purposes, (accents, etc,) it would be nice. (April, Lionessoflight@hotmail.com)

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THANK YOU: To all y'alls who reviewed the first chapter. Being a good writer is nothing if you don't have the confidence if to do it. Keep it up, and I'll keep it coming! Now stop reading this and read the story, already!

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It was Tuesday, the next day, and the scene wouldn't stop replaying in her head. It had just been some innocent roughhousing, right? Then why did she catch herself staring? Why did she want to be so close to him all the time? By Wednesday, she had decided it was a crush. And she wasn't happy about it. Jubilee yanked the brush through her hair, cursing as it caught, causing her to drop two of her mouthful of bobby pins.

"Jubes, you ever coming out of there?"

"Keep yer damn pants on, Logan." 

She almost laughed at herself. If she had a crush, that was sure a strange way to show it. But she'd always talked to him that way. It was just…natural. Whether or not he was a… good-looking…nice smelling…manly…

"For godsakes, darlin', it's an emergency!"

Jubilee, who had just taken off her tank and cotton bra, opting for the padded, yelled back,

"I'm half naked! Enter at your own risk!"

She screamed when the door flew open.

"I didn't mean it! Get outta here, ya pervert!" She yelled, clutching a towel to her chest and throwing the nearest item of makeup his direction. Wolverine only paused a second, to catch the flying bottle of foundation, then took Jubilee's spot at the mirror.

"…Just woke up this mornin', an' the damn thing was on my head..."

Jubilee, letting curiosity get the better of her, leaned forward to look closer. She saw…nothing. 

Unfortunately, her action had caused the towel to droop at an angle that had Logan forgetting all about the mysterious ailment on his forehead. Jubilee, determined to find the cause of his agitation, looked closer.

"Logan…It's a zit. A really, really small one."

"What did you…Small?" Logan yelled at her, momentarily snapping back to reality. "Ya call that thing small? It's looks like a mac truck."

"I can't believe, you the great Wolverine, is, like, obsessing over a pimple." She said, allowing the valley girl to get the better of her.

She heard a dangerous growl come her way.

"I ain't obsessing. An' if I were you, darlin', I wouldn't go--"

"Is that you two?" An irritated, sleepy voice asked from the doorway. A blurry-eyed Paige scratched her head.

"You're waking the whole house up! It's only 6:30…Fighting like brother an' sister, I swear…"

"Don't matter anyway, I'm just leavin'," Wolverine growled, and pushed past her out the door. Paige shook her head and sleepwalked away.

__

Shit, Jubilee thought, left alone in the bathroom. _Brother and sister_. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Not at all. She looked up at herself, hair hopelessly messed, lipstick too bright. She took a tissue and wiped it off. Why try, she wasn't his type anyway. He wanted dangerous women. Beautiful, tantalizing, women. And of course, bar whores. She slammed the makeup drawer closed angrily. The closest she could come to any of those would be the bar whore, and she didn't even have enough cleavage for that. He didn't deserve her anyway, she angrily told herself. But she didn't believe it.

* * *

"Remy LeBeau, ahm warnin' yah, ten minutes tops."

"I know, chere, I'll just be a minute."

Gambit rolled his eyes as soon as he was sure Rogue couldn't see him.

"And don't yah roll yoah eyes at me like that!"

An expression of fear crossed his face. How did she know these things?

* * *

Wolverine was back in his room, pacing. He seemed to be there, doing that, a lot lately. And the truth was, it was driving him insane. He was mad, horny, and confused, and the combination didn't do him or any of the rest of Gen X any good. He'd put some of that Clearasil stuff Jono had handed him on the zit, but he was still pretty sure everyone knew just what it was.

__

Humiliatin' that's what it is, he fumed, letting his claws instinctively flicker in and out of the back of his hands. The biting pain bringing momentary satisfaction. And to top that off there was the other problem. 

It was Hank, to his utter mortification, who had given him the lecture. The whole thing played back in his mind.

"Logan, another thing about the age you are at…" Dr.McCoy fidgeted a little, obviously not sure how to put it.

"Spit it out," Wolverine said in an agitated manner. If it was something important, he needed to know it.

"Well, two things, actually. One…er…possible side effect may be increased aggression."

"Ya mean, like, fighting?"

"Yes, increased protection of territory, possessions…And well, the other is…Well, the drive."

"The drive?" Wolverine asked, summoning up images of motorcycles, which didn't help at all.

"Sex hormones…you may experienced an increased…drive...for." Hank was blushing, which was extremely hard to do when your natural color was blue.

__

Well, he thought _Possible side effects are happening_, and at an unpleasant rate. Not that Jubilee was helping. 

It'd merely been the shadow of a thought, but his mind brought him back to it. Oh, she smelled so good. So…female. And lately, she'd been smelling even better, though he wasn't sure what that was about. And this morning, he'd gotten an eyeful, to say the least…without the towel…

"Stop it! Stop it! She's Jubilee!" He yelled out loud, clutching his own head in frustration. 

"Goddamn hormones!" He yelled at no one, smashing his fist into a coffee table. The wood shattered, and his fist ached. His breathing was ragged. He couldn't take this anymore. He needed to work it off…

* * *

"Hello? It's Remy…" Gambit looked around the corner to see an empty room. 

"Gumbo?" Gambit snapped his head around, to find Jubilee. She was carrying a pile of books.

"Hey dere, June fille. I was looking for Logan."

"He's not in his room?"

To the negative answer, Jubilee shrugged her shoulders. "Could be anywhere." As she turned a paper fell out of the stack, onto the floor. Gambit reached for it and caught a glimpse of a heart and arrow with pink scribbles around it. Jubilee quickly snatched it away from him, cheeks turning bright pink.

"You got boy trouble, chere?"

"Er...I guess so," Jubilee said hesitantly, willing her face to return to its normal hue. How much had he seen? Please not the initials. Please, please not the initials.

"You want to tell ol' Gambit anyt'ing about it?" He asked, grinning. Outside, Jubilee heard a car honk and a southern-tinged voice yell,

"I'm not waitin' forever Remy! You better get down here!"

"Fast," Gambit added.

"Well there's…" Jubilee paused, trying to think on her feet. "There's a boy…I like…and I'm not sure if he likes me. I'm not sure how to go about…ya know…getting him interested." 

Jubilee winced a little. It had sounded much, much better in her head.

"Well, I can only tell you de t'ing dat works for me," Gambit said, leaning in confidentially.

"You got to be aggressive, chere, let him know your intentions," 

Jubilee smiled and nodded, absorbing the Cajun's advice. The horn sounded again.

"I swear, Remy, I ain't gonna wait for you."

"I got ta go, chere, but tell Logan I say hi, no?"

"I will," Jubilee promised.

Gambit walked downstairs and shut the door behind him just as Rogue peeled off in the Honda with a squeal of tires.

"Chere, wait!" He yelled, but to no avail. Remy began to walk the length of the street before he realized he had forgotten to give Jubilee the most important advice of all…Not to listen to a word he said.

* * *

It was Thursday, and Jubilee had had it. She had the very distinct feeling that if something didn't happen soon, the little "firecracker" was about to go off. So she took Gambit's "aggression" advice and decided to work things out the Wolverine way. _Ironic, very ironic_, she told herself. She headed for a try in the Danger Room, which had been recently upgraded.

She found him already there. 

Not only there, he was gone deep in a berserker rage, tearing and ripping out the guts of simulated enemies with apparent glee. He had gone all the way to growling and snarling, and his claws dripped with holographic gore. 

She didn't even pause before she entered.

The program shut down, and Wolverine looked around him, momentarily confused, sweating and breathing hard. 

She let her eyes drift over his now younger body. The blood all went south, and she cursed herself for letting herself get distracted..

He scanned the now empty room until he saw the slim figure of Jubilee standing there, all suited up. She only said one word, which was more of a question.

"Rematch?"

The growl was low in his throat.

"Ya think you can handle me?"

It was more of a threat than a question. 

She answered him by coming up and socking him hard, in the jaw. He could've dodged it easily, but it took him completely by surprise.

"That's for the bar whores," She hissed. He barely had time to say, "Wha---" Before he dodged a right hook. Logan ducked and came in low, getting in two good hits on her torso. Jubilee doubled over, and barely managed to feint and avoid the kick that followed.

"That hurt!" She yelled at him, trying to catch her breath.

"Whadd'ya expect?" He asked, his voice mocking. "Need me to go easy on ya'?"

His tone infuriated her, and she aimed semi-high powered paff at him. It blinded him, and as he stumbled back she kicked him hard, in the stomach.

"That ain't fair, and you know it!" He snarled at her, and there was an audible SCHLUKT as his claws sprung out.

"Plan to skewer me, Wolvie?" Jubilee, gone in rage, yelled, using her former name of endearment as an insult.

Wolverine shook his head, clearing the afterglow of sparks from his vision.

"If ya can't fight fair, then get out!"

"You're talkin' about fair?" Jubilee screamed back. "You should! Ya don't know a damn thing about fair!"

She rushed him, and though her small frame couldn't do much, the momentum carried them back, knocking him against a wall. At this point, the lines blurred. Punches and kicks were dealt as often as rough caresses and they came indistinguishable. Wolverine honestly wasn't sure whether he was trying to fuck her or kill her. Jubilee had abandoned all trace of visible sanity, and was somewhere to the point of trying to kick Logan's ass while begging him not to stop. He didn't stop. It was the voice that came in that did it.

JUBILATION, LOGAN, CEASE THIS IMMEDIATELY!

They broke apart abruptly, each grabbing their heads with the telepathic onslaught. The lights dimmed as the danger room door opened and Professor Xavier wheeled in. Mildly irritated would not have started to describe his expression.

"What…Just what do you think you're doing?" Disbelief was obvious in his tone. "I came to see how the Generation X idea was working, and here you are tearing at each other's throats!" 

A strained silence followed as Logan backed away.

" You are two of my most trustworthy X-Men…and Logan, you have your claws out."

With a guilty SHLUKT and a menacing look, they disappeared back into his forearms.

"And Jubilee…both of you…"

They wouldn't make eye contact. The whole thing, if anything, had just gotten worse. And now…

"…Suspension from the danger room for at least a week. I don't approve of any kind of behavior like this, especially between friends."

__

If only he'd known what kind of behavior…

"Sorry," Jubilee mumbled and ran past the Professor, out the door, leaving Logan behind to glare. She only stopped once she had gotten to her room. She slammed the door shut behind her, then slid down the wall to the floor. She remembered the hard touch of his hands like imprints on her body. She shivered as she thought of him, taking her by the shoulders, holding her against the wall, his eyes filled with anger and…lust? Had she imagined it? She let her head drop into her hands.

"Aw, Hell."

She might be visiting the kitchen stash tonight, after all.

Yes, It'll be continued! The next chapter promises to be…spicier. And constructive criticism is welcome. But you know, praise never hurts me! Oh, and I'll post ASAP, so keep a lookout…


	3. Admitting It

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SUMMARY: Tensions finally break

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RATING: R, for non-graphic-almost-sex, language (as always)...That's all I can think of. Read at your own risk.

****

DISCLAIMER: What? You thought Marvel owned these characters? No, no, I do.

****

AUTHOR: Sorry for the wait! But...It'll be worth it. I've got this whole thing planned in my head now...If I can just get up and type it! I'll try my hardest to stick to my weekly postings-- school doesn't make that easy, ya know. Anything else...Oh, keep reading, of course. This is gonna get good.

****

THANK YOUS: I wanna thank all y'alls again who reviewed. I'm doing my best, so love it or hate it, at least review it.

Mystique took a long drag off her cigarette and surveyed the bar again. To hell with 'smoking will kill you.' She could die tomorrow. The place was a dive, she knew. The tables were scarred with graffiti, the lighting was low, and the whole placed smelled like piss and beer. She checked her watch. Where the hell was he?

A shadowed figure slipped into the booth beside her.

"About time," She said, her voice husky. "I hope you're not asking me to get _him_, I don't know if I can do it."

"No, of course not," A low voice. A man's.

"This one will be easy, Raven, don't concern yourself. I just need you to get the bait."

A manila folder was handed over. Mystique opened it, licked her fingers and flipped through.

"Jubilation Lee, Codename: Jubilee. Ability, Plasma sparks from hands."

She smirked.

"It'll be more than easy. Where's the money?"

The man handed her a wad of bills. To any other in the bar it looked ordinary. Only Mystique, with a glint of greed in her eyes, saw the stack of hundreds. She got up, tipped the bartender and walked out, looking like she knew it all.

What she didn't know, however, was that a certain man had been sitting behind her. Red eyes glowed into the dark as Gambit's face twisted up a little, despite himself.

"Easy. Dat's what you think. Wait 'till you got de X-Men on you tail, chere, den you can call it easy."

He finished his shot and left.

* * *

Wolverine was in hell. Turmoil. At least in his head. And his room and the surrounding grounds showed it. Most of the items were smashed, the walls had random claw marks on them, and he'd reduced himself to playboys under the bed.

_It's like I'm losin' myself_, he thought bitterly in one of his less berserk moments. _Like I lost Jubilee already_. He truly regretted the scene in the danger room. He sufficed it to say it had gotten a little out of his control. And yeah, it was easy to blame it on age, or pheromones, or whatever-the-hell Hank came up with today, but it didn't make him feel any better. At night, he'd taken to escaping the mansion and wandering the surrounding land. It seemed to calm him. At least it was outdoors, away from the artificial gaudiness of people. And ...life.

He cracked one eye open and looked at the clock. 2:38. He let out a long sigh, and rubbed his smooth chin, a gesture he'd picked up since losing the sideburns. He'd been trying to meditate, but it hadn't helped much. Okay, at all. He closed his eyes again and concentrated on the steady pulse of his heart, his breathing.

The slightest scrape outside on the rooftop alerted him. His eyes snapped open and he listened intently.

There it was again. Too large and clumsy to be any kind of bird. Even a raccoon, and those wouldn't be on the roof anyway.

Silent as a panther, he eased off the bed and padded silently to the window, prepared to surprise whatever was waiting outside. He turned and threw the window open, just as a very familiar face appeared. Jubilee screamed, and the face disappeared.

He leaped through the window, and, feet gripping the roof tiles, looked down. A pale Jubilee was clinging to the tiles.

"Dammit, Wolvie! You scared me half to death! Near literally." She glanced quickly at the fifty-foot sheer drop from the roof. If he was happy to see her, he tried his hardest not to show it.

"What the hell do ya think yer doin'?" He asked angrily, taking her by the forearms and pulling her roughly up.

She made sure her balance was secure and took a breath.

"Look, Logan, I...uh," 

He waited, heavily muscled arms crossed over his chest. Jubilee pushed down her pride, shut her eyes, and said it.

"I wanna apologize. For the danger room. I'm sorry, I wasn't fighting fair."

Her eyes opened. There, she had done it. Now it was his move. He stood there, silent, seeming to blend in with the night air. Jubilee held out a hand.

"Truce."

Slowly, Wolverine reached out his own, still larger and callused despite his youth.

"Truce."

She smiled. He narrowed his eyes.

"That still don't explain what yer doin' on top o' my roof. Ever hear of a door, darlin'?"

Her smile turned into the devil's grin.

"I'm taking us on a little adventure."

His eyebrows shot up.

"Really? Where we goin'?"

The grin turned enigmatic.

"You'll see."

For the first time he realized she was fully dressed, in jeans and a T-shirt. He midlength hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Wherever they were going, it was beyond his bedroom window. 

She turned away and took off, picking her way nimbly over the roof tiles. He growled and followed her by scent, since it was nearly too dark to see. It seemed to surreal to both of them, caught in the silence of the night, near blind, running across the rooftops. Jubilee couldn't hear Logan behind her, but she knew he was there. She groped, and, finding the corner of the roof she was looking for, slid down the drainpipe, Wolverine on her heels.

"Took me years to learn that one," she breathed, jumping off to plant her feet solidly on the ground. She barely heard Wolverine drop down to a crouch beside her. He stood and looked in the direction she had turned her head. 

The first thing he saw was the light. Then he realized he was looking at a large, Olympic-sized swimming pool. It was lit from the inside, creating the illusion of glowing, and he noted it was heated, as steam rose off the top.

"Ya ever been swimming, Wolvie?" Jubilee asked. Despite the light from the pool, it was too dark outside to read her expression. Still contemplating it, he answered.

"Not really...Kinda hard when yer half-metal an all."

"Exactly," She said. "Well, consider this your first lesson."

The hard shove seemed to come from nowhere, and Logan stumbled back two feet and let out a yell before falling with a loud splash, fully clothed, into the pool.

He came up sputtering, and Jubilee broke down in laughter despite herself. She kept laughing until something wet smacked her in the face. She pulled it off, and realized they were Wolverine's shirt and Jeans. He smiled demurely. His turn to surprise her.

"If I recall...Can't be swimmin' with clothes now, can we?" He asked, raising himself to waist level. Jubilee began to breathe again when she realized he had boxers on.

"Wanna join me?"  
"Fine," She said, prepared for this, and gathered herself for a graceful dive.

"Wait!" Logan called from the poolside. She stalled.

"The way I see it," He said, grinning almost evilly, "It's only fair, darlin'." He gestured to his own state of undress. 

It was the mocking voice again.

Jubilee's eyes narrowed to slits and her mouth formed a hard line. She had just apologized to him, and now he had challenged her again. 

He thought she wouldn't do it. She'd show him. Very deliberately, she stripped off her shirt and jeans, so that all that was left was her bra and panties. She smirked as he frowned, averting his eyes. _Yeah, not so full of yourself now, are you?_

"Ya still want me?" she asked.

"Water's fine," he said, disappearing under the surface. Jubilee executed a perfect swan dive in. The water enveloped her, but it was wonderfully warm, and she let the dive take her all the way to the bottom. She was short on air and on her way back up when something grabbed her leg. She screamed underwater, accidentally swallowing some. She panicked, kicking away from whatever had her and broke the surface, gasping and spitting out chlorine. 

Wolverine came up laughing.

"That wasn't funny!" She yelled at him, choking and trying to breathe, shivering in the slight breeze. The sour taste of pool water was still in her mouth. In an instant he saw that he'd really scared her.

"Sorry, Jube." He said, bowing his head a little.

"Yeah, you should be," she yelled back at him, adrenaline concentrating her anger. "I told you I was sorry, I took you out here, then you strip me naked an' practically drown me! You...you..." 

Her waterlogged brain floundered for an insult that would mean anything to him.

"You're gutless!"

The fact that this had nothing to do with the events that just occurred meant nothing to Jubilee. Just getting a rise out of him.

His eyes darkened, eyebrows coming down. The test of wills had begun.

"Oh, am I?"

"Yeah, yeah you are," She threw the remark at him, not willing to give an inch.

He pulled up one hand. She swallowed, and her eyes widened in shock as she realized it was the boxers. She knew she was digging herself in a helluva lot deeper than she knew how to climb out of, but she'd given in before. 

She refused to lose this one. Keeping her eyes trained carefully on his face, she daintily took the boxers from him and tossed them aside.

"Tell you what," She said, her voice easy.

"I lose the top," She gestured to the bra, "If you're the one who takes it off."

The remark was worth half the look on his face. 

But he, too, refused to back down. Not from some girl half his own weight. Not for a girl who'd just dunked him in a swimming pool at two o'clock in the morning. If he was nervous, he was too stubborn to show it. She lifted up her arms, leaving herself completely vulnerable. With an almost professional coolness, Wolverine reached around and unhooked it in one smooth move. He threw it in the growing pile of clothes. 

Then came the mistake. He let his eyes drop. The words came out before he knew what he was saying.

"God, Jubes, you're beautiful..." he murmured.

This sent a glorious thrill up her spine, but she was still charged from her near-death experiences and the words actually made her feel cocky, more than anything else.

"You like what you see?" 

His eyes snapped up to hers at her tone, and there was fire in them. 

"Don't act like you ain't aroused right now, Jubes, I know better." His voice came out as a low rumble, close to her ear. She was taken aback by his arrogance, even now.

"Excuse me? I think it's pretty obvious that you want me. Badly. Ya think I don't notice you starin' at my ass all the time? I'm not blind, Wolvie."

His mouth nearly fell open at this, which she noticed with satisfaction. She hadn't been imagining it after all. He bared his teeth.

"Who're ya kiddin', Jubes? I can smell you a mile away, I couldn't figure it out at first...Then I realized..."

"Yeah?" Jubilee interrupted, not especially wanting him to finish that particular sentence. He growled.

"Don't growl at me, you arrogant bastard, you--"

"Don't tell me what to do, girl, you're only--"

"Dammit, just shut up and--"

Before the words left her tongue, he kissed her. His hot mouth was over hers, and she was clinging to him like he was life itself. She parted her lips to the kiss, and he held her tighter, dizzying in the sensation of skin against skin, only water between them. 

And then there were no words, only touch. They kissed desperately at first, almost as if trying to make up for lost time. His hands came up to run over her breasts, and she moaned into his mouth. Wolverine was trying desperately to regain control, and losing badly. Being in this body was making it hard …It seemed to have a mind of its own. 

It. Wanted. Jubilee. 

Now. 

He was using his last restraints not to just slice off the remaining clothes, and…

She was lost in sensation, and he was going on instinct now. His hands found her hips, and her mouth found his again, in a searing kiss. She felt her back hit the pool wall, his knee split her legs, and then suddenly she felt him there, between her legs, and god, nothing had ever felt more delicious. It was happening too fast for her to do anything but feel. She hooked her ankles behind him, still exploring the kiss, not even coming up to breathe. Then, he started moving.

White lights exploded behind her eyes. This was more than good. She let out an involuntary moan, starting to move with him. He had his teeth gritted, shaking with pleasure and with the immense strain of holding on to control. His eyes met hers. Intense, and half-lidded, they found Jubilee's china-blue. He was trying to keep it slow, but the effort was agony. She moved with him again, and her nails dug into his back. He was holding her hips hard enough to bruise, though he was being careful not to. He couldn't help it. He thrust up against her faster, and harder, and she had lost the ability to speak at all. She could never, ever get enough. This was heaven, and it was going to last forever…

...And then it _was_ enough. She cried his name, body suddenly arching. She closed her eyes to blinding ecstasy. Vaguely, in the back of her mind, she felt his own body shudder against her, and her named called in a ragged voice. 

When awareness fully returned, she was resting, her head on his chest. There was the echo of the water, and waves of light danced across the pool from the disturbance. He was absentmindedly playing with her hair. She let herself just breathe for a minute, somewhere in between confusion, satisfaction, disbelief.

Logan's body sang with relief as he let the warm form of Jubilee rest against him. He was enjoying something he hadn't felt in a long time. Contentment. He felt her stir minutely and looked down. She tilted her head up, to look at him. The pool water was playing patterns across his skin. He radiated heat, and she loved the way she fit so perfectly in his arms.

"Logan," Her words were soft. His eyes, looking down at her, were tranquil and half-focused.

"Logan, I--" And then her throat stuck. 

--Love you. What if he didn't love her? What if he didn't return the feeling? Right then, she knew, it would break her. There was silence, except for the steady lap of the water. She was suddenly very aware of her nakedness. And she couldn't say it.

"We--uh--We'd better go before we get caught." 

The moment shattered. Her words rang hollow and echoed around the pool. She pushed herself quickly off him, ignoring the look of confusion. 

They put on their clothes awkwardly, and in silence. Jubilee's mind was numb. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Somehow, she knew, she got out of there, because she was back in her room, under the covers of her familiar bed. Too dazed even to cry,

She fell instantly into the blankness of sleep.

***

Breakfast was eaten in a deadly silence. Only Paige chattered on as she ate, not to anyone in particular. The rest had taken one look at Wolverine's face that morning and wisely shut up. Jubilee, who was sitting at the other end of the table, picked at her eggs without actually taking a bite.

"So, I thought he was really cute," Page continued the story to which no one had been listening, and squirted ketchup on her plate, "And yesterday he asked me out! So I guess you could say my love life has improved in the last--"

There was a loud clank as Jubilee's fork fell to her plate. Before anyone could say anything she burst into tears and ran out of the room, knocking her chair askew. Wolverine jumped up on instinct. Paige had trailed off talking, and all wide eyes focused on him.

"I…uh…better, ya know…" He gave up on an excuse and went after Jubilee.

She was on her bed, with a box of tissues, sobbing hard. He walked in cautiously, and she looked up.

"Jubes…"

"Get the hell away from me!" She screamed at him, rather fiercely for the state she was in.

He took a few steps closer.

"Listen, Jubes…" His pride had been effectively swallowed. "Is this about last night?"

This just made her cry harder. But she slowed down enough to look up again and say, in between sobs, "Oh, you _remember_ me?"

This got him thoroughly confused, and he sat down on the foot of her bed.

"What?"

"I mean, I thought I was just your fuck of the week." She said between sobs.

His eyes widened in shock.

"No! Jubes…Why do you think…I thought…I mean, I would never hurt ya, darlin'. I--uh--I thought ya liked it."

This time she sat straight up and glared at him.

"Liked it? Logan, I loved it. That was the first time I ever…uh…ever…"

Her face turned redder than it already had been from the tears.

"…I loved it," she continued, " And I love you." Sob. " I love you, Logan, and you don't love me!"   
And then, to his further surprise and bewilderment, she grabbed his shirt, burying her face in it, and dissolved back into tears. He carefully wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders.

"Jubes…" He said, trying in vain to get her attention.

"Jubilee, I do love you."

At first he thought she hadn't heard him, but then she looked up, blinking tear-blurred eyes.

"What?"

"I love you." He swallowed after saying it. The words felt funny in his mouth. But good. And true. Honest, which was as much as he could ask for.

"You…" Jubilee blinked again, trying to grasp it all.

"You didn't say it…I didn't think…"

"I figured if ya needed to hear it you woulda said it out in the pool," he explained. "Then ya just got all cold an' left."

"I was afraid..." She trailed up again, drying her eyes with the Kleenex Wolverine held out.

"Oh, Logan," She kissed him, and suddenly he realized just how much he had missed the feel of her. How soft her skin was. How good she felt--

"'Scuse me."

They both snapped their heads up. Jono was standing in the doorway, expression unreadable. 

_Oh shit. He and I are gonna have to have a little talk,_ Jubilee thought.

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

His throat was tight, and he kept his eyes glued to the pattern on Jubilee's bedspread.

"Wolverine, there's a call for you. It's Dr.McCoy."

* * *

Logan picked up the phone and listened a few seconds before his face turned white.

Jubilee looked worried.

"Log--" He cut her off with a hand.

"Yeah. I understand. Hank, are ya sure…"

Silence as the other end of the line talked.

"Okay. Well, thank you fer' tellin' me. I'll be down there tomorrow."

He hung it up. And said nothing at all.

"Hank…he, uh," He started. He looked at Jubilee, and it almost broke his heart to see her concerned eyes looking into his.

"He thinks he found a problem. With the mutation."


	4. Mission: Rescue Jubilation Lee

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SUMMARY: Trouble is brewing, in more ways than one. 

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RATING: R, Violence, and Language

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DISCLAIMER: I'm feeling lazy, so just imagine one, please.

****

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm still not 100% decided on how this is going to turn out, so your input counts. Ok, I'll stop wasting valuable space now.

"What?" She was dead serious, looking straight at him.

"What kind of problem?"

He turned his face away.

"Look he...He don't know whether or not he's right...but. From the looks of it I ain't stayin' this young forever."

"What?" The color drained from Jubilee's face. Her brain was buzzing. He couldn't be telling the truth. He must be lying to her.

"He said my body...It made me this young, but now it can't keep it up. But it can't just age me super fast either."

"Why not?" 

"Why dontcha ask Hank?" He nearly yelled at her, then felt badly about it. His voice dropped.

"He said I've got a month. A month in a half at the least. An' then I'll start deterioratin'."

The image was so horrible to Jubilee her hands flew up to her mouth before she could stop herself.

"So he's figurin' out some machine that c'n help age me back to my normal self."

"He can't!"

"It's that or my life, darlin."

Jubilee swallowed hard. In the last twenty-four hours her life had been flip-flopped, turned upside down, and she could barely believe any of it was real. She shook her head, but she was all out of tears.

"Look, Jubes, I think we both need some time to think about this..."

"I need to get out," Was all she said, pushing past a protesting Logan, and into the surrounding woods.

* * *

Gambit had gone to get help. Or, at least Gambit tried to go get help. He straddled his motorcycle, started the ignition, and cursed when it died. Then he noticed the blinking FUEL light. He ducked back into the seedy bar, and fishing change out of his trench coat, dialed at the payphone in the back.

"Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted. Jean Grey speaking."

"Hello, chere."

"Remy? Hold on, let me get Rogue."

Gambit shook his head while Xavier's classical "hold" music played in his ear. First Rogue, now Jean. How did they do it? Did they read minds? Well...Maybe Jean.

"Hello? This is Rogue speakin'."

"Rogue, mon ami, you don' happen to know any'ting about my motorcycle bein' outta gas now, do you?"

There was an incriminating silence.

"Remy, now don't go blamin' this whole thing on me! I was low on gas this mornin' after ah had told you to fill up the tank yesterday. So I mighta taken some a yoahs. Are ya stuck, sugah?"

"You could say dat, chere. Mind if I ask where you be gettin' a gas siphon from?"

"Hey, hey Rogue! Is that the Cajun? Did he find out about the motorcycle?" Bobby's distinctive voice rang out in the background. Gambit ground his teeth.

"Never mind. I do need to tell de X-Men somet'ing very important, though. She plannin' to kidnap de june fille Jubilee."

"Who? What she?"  
"Mystique."

"Oh mah god! Remy, where are you?"

He paused. 

"1287 Off Broadway Blvd."

"Remy! What did ah tell you about hangin' out in that place? Ah..."

He could hear her huff of indignance over the phone.

"Fine. We're comin' ta get you."

* * *

Jubilee wandered the forest, stirring things around in her head. The day was a clear, cold February. She breathed in the clear air of the trees. Just then a shadow caught her eye. She stopped dead in her tracks and listened, looking around.

__

Getting paranoid, Jubes, she told herself. 

She walked a few more feet, before she stopped. She'd heard it this time.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

Stillness and the rustling of leaves.

She moved closer to the sound, and again saw the shadow. Before she could scream, it leaped at her.

* * *

It was three O'clock when Jubilee got back from her walk. Logan was sitting with a beer by the television. Some stupid game show was on. Who really cared that much about winning a million dollars, anyway?

"Hey, Wolvie." She called. He lifted his eyes to her at this cheerful greeting. He smiled. If she had cheered up a little, he wasn't about to ruin it. She bounced over to him to sit beside him. That's when he smelled it. Instantly, his lip curled to bare his teeth in a vicious snarl.

"Myst--" Before he could get the words out, she threw herself on top of him and kissed him. He tossed her away yelling,

"Get off me, ya blue-skinned bitch!"

Emma Frost chose that time to walk by. She stopped for a moment and stared at them. At the expression of rage on Logan's face. At a seemingly frightened Jubilee sitting on the floor. She pointed to the beer on the table.

"Get rid of it before I come back."

The minute she had left the room, he grabbed her by the collar. 

"Where is she?"

Jubilee's large eyes looked innocently up at him.

"Who, Wolvie?"

"Dammit, Raven, this is not the time to play games with me! Where is she? What'd you do with her?!"

"That's what I came here to tell you," She said, grinning Jubilee's smile, her eyes flashing. It was so disconcerting it made him blink.

"We have your precious little Jubilee."

"Who's we?"

"I'm sorry, Wolvie, I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

His claws were at her throat in an instant.

"You'll be a lot more afraid if you don't tell me."

She didn't even blink. Using one finger, she pushed the claws away.

"Uh-uh-uh. You hurt me..." She ran the finger across her throat. "And she dies. All I'm authorized to give you is the location."

There was nothing Wolverine wanted to do more right now than gut Mystique right then and there, but he wanted Jubilee's life even more. He didn't take his eyes of her, and he let his disgust show.

"It's a trap."

She ran her hands over his face and snaked them around his shoulders. He shuddered at her touch, half out of revulsion, while the other half tried to remember it wasn't really Jubilee.

"Of course it's a trap, Wolvie."

"Don't call me that!" He spat at her, then tried to calm himself down. She brought her lips to his ear. He bit his own lip hard enough to bleed. She dies, Jubilee dies, he reminded himself.

"The point is to see if you can get past it," she whispered, her breath tickling the hairs on the back of his neck. "Get off the freeway, go down K, take a left and they'll be a long stretch of road. Near the end of it you'll see--"

"A warehouse." He said, eyes dawning with knowledge. "I know where it is."

"Good," She hissed. "My job is done. See you later, Wolvie." 

Mystique giggled and it was purely Jubilee. Then she walked out the door. Logan grabbed his jacket, and burst out after her. She was already gone. The motorcycle left dark tire marks as it roared away into the distance.

***

BING-BONG.

The doorbell rang.

BING-BONG

"I'm coming!" Paige yelled, putting down the Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She opened the door and stood there for a minute.

"Hey, guys."

All the X-Men stood assembled and in uniform-- Phoenix, Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, and the Professor.

"Is Jubilee dere?" Gambit asked, stepping to the front. Paige realized at that moment her hair looked really bad. And it was too late to fix it.

"No, she left a little while ago," She said. "Why?"

He ignored the question. All of them looked so...serious.

"Something wrong?" She was beginning to get concerned.

"Is Logan dere?"

"No...He took off a minute ago. And I do mean took off. That guy was pullin' outta here like all the hounds of hell were on 'em. I heard it all the way from the kitchen."

"Dammit!" Gambit swore so fervently that Paige dropped the ice cream spoon.

"It ain't yoah fault, sugah," Rogue said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's no one's fault," Scott said, "But if we're going to find them at all we've got to hurry. Thank you for the information, Ms.Guthrie."

The door was slammed in her face.

***

Despite his taste for danger, he didn't think he'd ever driven this fast before. The wind was ripping at his face, tearing up his eyes, and the lights, red, yellow, and green alike, were a blur. He had to get to her. Get to her before they could do anything to her. Before...

_Jubilee, Jubilee, Jubilee, _

He took a sharp corner and the tires squealed. His acute hearing caught phrases of.

"--You crazy---drivers that---so fast----stay on yer own--" But he wasn't even listening. At last he realized he was on the stretch of road. He was geared up for a fight, as the warehouse loomed in the distance. He slammed on the brakes, nearly flipping the cycle, didn't even bother with the kickstand, and sprinted.

***

"Ain't there any way we can hurry this up, Scott?" Rogue was leaning anxiously over Scott's shoulder. They were in the blackbird, and he was piloting. Jean was on the other side.

"I told you, Rogue, it isn't a matter of speed. It's a matter of not knowing where he is."

"Isn't the professor using Cerebro?" Storm asked.

"He is," Jean answered. "But so far he can't get a clear fix. I'm scanning, too," She added.

"Scott, if the radar picked him up, wouldn't show up as a little yellow dot?" Rogue asked.

"Yes, it would."

Rogue pointed to the radar screen. Scott took one look at the flashing point, then cleared his throat.

"Uh…ahem…It appears we have found Logan."

"How can ya be such a dumbass?" Rogue yelled, uncharacteristically and unexpectedly. She covered her mouth.

"Ahm so sorry, Scott. It's just that ah feel sorta responsible for this, stealin' Remy's gas so he couldn't get here sooner an' all."

"No offense taken," Scott said, his face unreadable under ruby quartz. 

"Chere, all is forgiven. Come to Remy," Gambit said soothingly. Rogue, if anything, looked more enraged.

"Can't you do anythin' right!" She yelled at him, then left to talk with Storm in the back of the plane.

The blackbird swooped, turned 90 degrees, and headed towards the coordinates, where Logan was a blinking light on a map.

Remy shook his head. He would never understand women.

***

The door was barred. He didn't even pause. Still using his speed, he lowered his shoulder and rammed it. He felt the door, and his humorous, splinter. He paused a split second to let the bone knit, then charged inside.

"Get out here an show yourselves, ya--"

He let out a long, unrepeatable sentence. He didn't have to wait long.

With a yell, a wave of uniformly camouflaged men jumped over the broken crates and ran at him. He growled, his claws shooting out.

She wasn't kidding when she'd said it was a trap. 

They were armed, but before they had a chance to fire he took out the first wave with a long left-handed hook. It opened the man in front of him open, so that he spilled open like a sack of meat. At the sharp, coppery scent of blood, he felt the red behind his eyes begin to show. He took out the next three men, taking a slug in the chest and shoulder. He ran his claws through the man's stomach, not even giving him a chance to scream. He threw his head back and howled, scaring the third enough that he dropped the gun and ran. But as soon as the initial attack was over, more appeared.

_Where the hell're they all coming from?_

He didn't have time to answer his own question. He was so busy taking out the men in front of him that he neglected to look behind until he felt something reach around his neck and snap. He growled and whipped around, but the genoshan collar was already on. He felt a hard blow to the back of his head, and was down before he could strike.


	5. Imprisoned

He awoke with dirt in his mouth. He tried to open his eyes and found his eyelids felt like lead. He was lying on something hard, and cold. The ground? There was a throbbing pain in his head. He tried to remember. Something about...Jubilee? A fight? 

He lay there for a moment, just breathing, before he realized he could open his eyes. He did so, and the images swam before him, making him nauseous. There was a familiar blur.

"J-Jubes..?"

His voice was cracked, he was thirsty.

"Logan...Logan, don't move, you're hurt."

It sounded far away, like he was dreaming. And Logan, of course, being Logan, moved. It was sluggish, and it made his head jackhammer, but he pushed himself up, blinking to try and clear the image that still stood blurry before him. He felt the restrictive metal around his neck. Damn, I've been collared. No wonder I got so much hurtin'

"Logan, oh, God, you scared me...I thought you'd...I thought..." He turned his head instinctively towards the sound of her voice, which was a bad idea. The world spun dizzyingly, and he doubled over and retched. He felt comforting warm hands on his back as his stomach stopped clenching, and he wiped his mouth and spat.

"Shit. I feel like I've just been on a ten day bender."

Jubilee smiled, rubbing his shoulders. That was more like the Wolverine she knew. She let out a puff of air she'd been holding in. He would be all right.

His vision had cleared enough that he could see Jubilee before him. He managed a weak smile.

"Don't happen ta have a tic-tac on ya, do ya darlin'?"

"Gee," Jubilee said sacastically, rolling her eyes. "Of course I do. Never without them-- the X-Mansion, poolside, dingy jail cell..." She looked at him seriously. 

"Logan...what are ya doin here?"

"Well, I was, uh.." He felt gingerly at the bump on his head and looked away. "Tryin' ta rescue you, Jubes." He sounded a little sheepish. 

"Looks like I didn't do the best job."

He surveyed his surroundings. His head was still in a world of pain, but at least he could see clearly now. It was a dirt prison, crudely built, and the shaft of light that fell on the floor in front of him came from the only opening, a sort of barred skylight.

Cursing at the pain in his head, he got to his feet and tried to measure the distance from the ground.

"Forget about it," Jubilee said, glancing above her. "Already tried. Even with both of us we couldn't reach it."

He looked back at her."You make one short joke..." Wolverine growled. Jubilee smiled despite herself.

"You don't hear me complaining, do ya, Logan?" The joking mood died as they both took a moment to comprehend all that had happened. Logan was looking for a way out, but despite the primitiveness of the jail, it seemed secure.

"Logan..." He looked over at Jubilee, at the tone of her voice. "Logan...are we...you know, ever going to get out of here? What's going to happen?" 

She bit her lip as she said it, trying to keep her voice steady. Wolverine looked her straight in the eye.

"Whatever happens, Jubes, you know I ain't gonna let them get to you without one helluva fight. 'Sides, I think it's me they really want." He paused. "Must be my animal magnestism..."

He smiled wickedly at her, and she grinned back, leaning forward. Their lips touched, and Jubilee let herself relax into the kiss as she felt his tongue slide...

"Oh-- ugh--pah---" Jubilee suddenly broke off, spitting, and gave Logan a dirty look. He shrugged.

"Don't blame me, darlin', you're the one who ain't got any tic tacs."

She smiled at him, shaking her head disbelievingly. Then, on sudden impulse, she embraced him. They didn't move, just sat there on the dirt floor, she drawing strength from his arms, wrapped tight around her shoulders. With all the uncertanties in her life, this was the moment, she decided, when she knew she would really love him forever. 

They were a team.

** *

"Scott, damage report!"

"They've taken off a chunk of the left wing!"

"Jean! Use your telekinesis to try and hold the damn thing together!"

The blackbird was in chaos. Seconds earlier, they had flown over an abandoned complex, ready to bring Wolverine and Jubilee back home, and now they were hoping just to make it themselves.

"What happened? Who would've guessed they'd have air missle defenses?" Scott shouted, answering his own question, trying to keep the ship's from deteriorating to a downward spiral. 

Rogue was holding on the hatch with her bare hands and willpower alone.

"We got two more closin' in!" Gambit bellowed. 

"Okay, people, we're gonna make it, but this is gonna be rough."

"Like it ain't already, homme?" Gambit yelled to be heard, as his teeth rattled in his head.

"I am deploying emergency landing gear!" Storm reported to Cyclops.

"Jean...you've got to hold on..."

"Hatch...too much....to...."

"Everyone!" Scott was barely heard over the din. "Everyone, brace for impact!"

The X-Men all reached for the nearest stable object, and gripped tight as the ground raced up at them with unnerving speed. And then...

It was earthshattering when it came. Dirt flew up, over the ship, shattering the front window. Rogue flew into Storm, and Jean's head bashed a wall before she was thrown to the back. Cyclops was holding onto the now useless navigation stick as the world bounced and jilted out of control. The shrill of the emergency sirens was the last thing anyone heard before their world was encased in darkness.

** *

Cyclops woke up gradually, and painfully. He reached for his visor instinctively, and shut his eyes tightly shut when he realized it wasn't there.

"It's ok, Scott. They've put us in collars."

At the sound of his wife's voice, he cracked opened his eyes. No cosmic explosions or laser beams. He looked carefully down at himself. He'd be sore for days, but all the important parts seemed to be intact. 

He stood up.

"They took him. They took him and I don't know where they took him...I don't know what they're doing to him..."

It came to Scott as a low keen, and he was surprised to see Jubilee, a strange, desperate look across her usually sunny face. The other X-Men were silent, Rogue had one arm around Jubilee's shoulder, trying to comfort her. Cyclops' response was automatic.

"Who was taken, Jubilee?"

She turned to him, her eyes wide.

"They took Logan...Scott, Scott, they've taken him...He's already been through so much..."

Scott was brokenhearted by the look on the youngest X-Man's face, and confused at the same time. He looked to Jean for support.

"It's all we can seem to get out of her, Scott."

He accepted this and began to pace the cell. After some moments of silence, penetrated only by the low murmer of conversation between Storm and Gambit, he looked around, exasperated.

"Hello! Hello? Anybody there?!"

"It's no use," Jean said quietly, gently taking his arm. "Looks like we're just gonna have to wait this one out."

"Sugah," Rogue started, Jubilee still under her arm, "Can ya tell us any more about this place? Ah mean, I know Logan meant a lot to yah, but--"

"You don't know! You don't know!" Jubilee screamed suddenly and unexpectedly, throwing off Rogue's arm and startling them all. "You don't know goddamn anything! He means more than my life to me! I love him! He and I, we--we--" She stopped, realizing what she'd just said. 

The whole prison quieted as Jubilee stood, nearly shaking with exaustion and anger. The X-Men were frozen in place. The silence stretched, long and unbroken. It was Gambit, after a short hesitation, who spoke first.

"Ah, chere...Why din' you tell us?"

His tone took them all a little aback. It was sincere, held a deep sadness none of them usually associated with Gambit. She turned towards him, unsure.

"I understand," He said softly, approaching. "I know what it's like, chere, not to be able to touch de one you love."

Rogue avoided his gaze, and stared intently at her toe, which was making a hole in the dirt on the prison ground.

"An' dere be plenty o' times when de woman I love is in danger, an' I know not'ing is really gonna help, except for that you trust he o she can take care of dimselves."

No one saw the touched look on Rogue's face, as she turned herself away from the light. Remy draped his arms around Jubilee, who stayed stiffly against him.

"I realize this is--" Cyclops began before Gambit cut him sharply off.

"Alor! Jus' be quiet!" He yelled rather harsher than he had meant to. "De chere, she in love."

***

"Get yer damn hands off me! I said--!"

"Sir! Please, permission to use sedative! He is-- auugh!"

"Get'm off me! Get 'em off! Somebody!"

"Ggggrrrowwrrr..."

A sound of ripping could be heard as blood spattered the nearest wall.

"Reinforcements!"

"We got him targeted!"

Logan felt the sharp prick of the traquilizer dart in his shoulder. He only had time to growl and lunge for the man before he felt himself suddenly under the effects. _If I had my healin' factor I woulda shaken the thing off already_, he thought to himself. Suddenly, his limbs were not under his own control. He heard, but barely registered, the deep voices around him.

"Call clean up. And we'll need a good cover story. Look at that mess."

"Did you see him? He was like an animal! He just-- Even with the collar, he--"

"I say we just kill the mutie scum now, instead--"

He lost contact with the real world, and found himself floating somewhere in between reality and unconsiousness. His head, which had been killing him, now felt strangely and not unpleasantly light. His arms and feet felt like weights; he couldn't move them. His thoughts slowed.

For the next what he could guess to be hours, the images only came to him in distorted memories. Faces above him. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't remember what...Weapon...Something about a weapon. They were hurting him. He wanted to cry out. He wanted to lash out, to tear them up. Tear their hearts out. Make them suffer, make them bleed. But all he could do was watch in his own head. So he screamed the only way he could, inside.

***

Mystique looked down at the half-alive thing on the table before her. Her hard, bright eyes might've held pity had they been able. Logan. No, the great Wolverine, brought down to this-- another animal to experiment on.

"Is this really necessary?" She asked coldly as she watched them, with a distasteful look on her face, biopsy a healthy piece of Logan's arm. The man in the white surgeon's mask looked up at her with an expression akin to annoyance.

"Should you be in here?"

"I go where I choose to go."

Logan's collar was sitting on a table beside him. Without his healing factor, he couldn't survive this. But because of his immunnity to sedatives, he had a steady IV drip.

"Label this sample. Jackson, hand me the scalpel."

It glittered sterile silver in the harsh white light of the room. Mystique, against her own better judgement, looked down at him again. His eyes were open, and he was staring as though he was seeing nothing at all. His strength, his energy...She'd seen him in action. This was like a shell, some sick twisted, _This is not your place to judge. You got your money. Leave it alone._

The surgeon's hand reached down, and she could see a tiny line of blood as the surgical knife bit into his skin. She saw the muscles in his face imperceptably twitch. And then, as if it took incredible effort, she saw his eyes move to rest on her. And for a moment, through her outward hardness, Mytique suddenly glimpsed a haunted soul, and blinding pain. _So much pain. They said he wouldn't feel any pain._

The scalpel opened up the skin. Crimson stained the crisp white of the surgical gown.

"Stop it!"

***

They couldn't get another word out of Jubilee. Jean tried. Rogue tried. She seemed most inclined towards Gambit, but still she said nothing. They had all temporarily given up, and now sat. Gambit was riffling through his cards-- He'd played enough solitare to make himself sick. Storm was off by herself trying to fight claustrophobia. 

"Did y'all hear that?"

Rogue looked up from picking at her fingernails to gaze around at the X-Men. A few of them looked up.

"I hear something," Cyclops stated. "It sounds like..."

RRRRRWWWAAARRRRRRRR

Jubilee's eyes snapped open. And all their heads turned to look up. A second later, the grid in the roof was lifted, and Logan was thrown in. He landed in a crouch, his claws already out, and looked around frantically.

"Scott! Look out!--"

Jean, though her powers were dampened, still sensed the danger.

Scott immediately reacted, and jumped back just in time to avoid getting his throat torn open as Wolverine lunged for him. The rest of the X-Men instantly took up battle positions.

"He doesn't recognize us, he--"

" Logan, it's de X-Men, don't--"

He growled low in his chest and advanced like a cornered animal ready to fight to the death. 

"Everbody! Move back slowly. Especially you men, get away. You're more of a threat to him."

Jubilee's voice rang out as Rogue, Gambit, and Cyclops stood, frozen. Jean and Storm were already against the wall.

"I said NOW!"

The total authority in the words got them moving, and Gambit slowly backed himself into a corner. However, he thought to himself, if Jubilee got herself in trouble he was prepared to defend her, even if it meant...He swallowed. He really didn't want to die this way.

Woverine's head snapped to Jubilee, and he looked at her warily, claws still out. As he approached her, she stood perfectly still. The rest of them didn't dare breathe. He sniffed her from a distance, scrutinized her, then moved closer and sniffed at her neck. It tickled like hell, but she wasn't about to make any sudden movements and become a shish kabob.

He gave another soft growl, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, ready for the impact of claws on her skin. 

She gave a sudden gasp of surprise as she felt his mouth descend on hers, and his hands grab her roughly by the waist and pull her to him. And a single word,

"Mate."

_Oh, Lord help me. _Jubilee was hit with a load of emotions, everywhere from relief, to fear, to surprise, to arousal, to ones she couldn't label. He wasn't wasting any time, and she was trying to force words out as his hands roamed.

"Logan, it's not that I--Oh, god, stop that!--it's just not the right--Stop that!!!"

He didn't even pause, and Jubilee began to feel weak in the knees. _Ok, time for somebody else to step in and help, please. Talk about going from bad to worse. _Not to mention the audience, as the rest of the X-Men still stood, gaping. Jubilee gave into a kiss, against him and her own impulse at the same time. 

Gambit gulped audibly and stepped forward.

"Hey, homme, like de lady says, now ain't de--Alor!"

Luckily, Gambit's nimbleness kept his chest from being torn open, but two cards he was holding were sliced to ribbons, and fluttered to the floor as Wolverine suddenly released Jubilee to to focus on the intruder.

"Hey!" Jubilee yelled, fully aware again now that her body was no longer under siege.

"Don't do that! You coulda hurt him. Bad Logan!" Before even she knew what she was doing, she whacked him hard across the nose. There was an audible intake of breath. But instead of turning on her, he backed off, whimpering a little. The rest of them looked incredulously at her, in unabashed astonishment.

"T'ank's for de save, chere," Gambit said, still rather shaken, and in his eyes was disbelief. Jubilee looked down at Wolverine, who was looking at her with what could only be described as puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, stop it, Logan, I didn't mean it," She said. _Yeah, ok, he gets to me_. She looked around to the others as Logan embraced her again, nuzzling at her neck.

"What're you all staring at?"

"Er...Uhmm.." Cyclops made a valient effort to speak, but nothing really came out.

Storm summarized it for the rest of them. "Nothing, Jubilation. Nothing at all."

  
  


  
  



	6. Getting it Together

****

SUMMARY: The X-Men attempt to escape the prison...But will they kill each other trying?

****

RATING: Eh. Some swearing. Little bits of innuendo. Not bad, for me.

****

AUTHOR: Sorry I didn't post a summary last time (you know, for you nonexistent people who actually read the author's note) Have no fear, the plot will be moving along soon, Jubilee and Logan will hit a landmark in the relationship, and I'll post ASAP. School just makes it so damn hard…So, patience is appreciated. For those who have stuck by so far-- Enjoy! (and review)

"Jubilee." She awoke, aware of a raspy voice in her ear. It was night; the prison was dark. It must be unsheltered, she concluded, because the air was chill and the only light was dim and silvery, from the moon.

He had refused to let her go, although he had let Jean, Storm, and Rogue, and (after some cajoling on Jubilee's part) eventually Gambit to come near without fearing for their lives. Cyclops had to stay backed against the far wall. While against the wall, he attempted plans to escape, but everyone else had waved them off until the next day. Start anew. Jubilee was tired herself-- kidnapping can do that to you sometimes. The light had gone down, and Logan hadn't said a word. When she'd started shivering, he held her, and eventually when they lay down he spooned her and fell asleep.

"What the hell..." The gruff voice again, and his breath ruffled her hair.

"Welcome back to the human race, Logan," She said wryly, letting a smile creep into her voice. She kept it low; the other X-Men were sleeping. Cyclops was snoring. At least, she thought it was Scott. Could be Jean... She felt him shift against her. 

"Huh? What's that s'posed to mean?"

He didn't know how he'd gotten in this position, but he'd be damned if it weren't comfortable. From chin to knee, he was curled up into her. Her, his Jubilee. In the near black she looked at him wide eyed.

"You don't remember?"

"Depends. Remember what?"

"They took you away for a while..." She paused as he tensed up at this. She didn't blame him. It had hurt her too, and she hadn't even been the one they...

"...And when they brought you back you went kinda feral on us."

"Really?"

"I seem to recall you trying to slice up Cyke. Then grabbing me, and, uh..."

She heard a surprised laugh behind her, and Logan chuckled for a minute.

"Yer kiddin' me."

"No, I'm not kidding you!" She said, turning to face him.

"In front of god an' everybody, Logan, you woulda taken me there on the floor, I swear!"

"What makes you think I still won't?"

She gaped for a second, then shook her head and couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"You're incorrigible."

"That anything like irresistible?"

"You need to get a dictionary, bub," Jubilee said, and kissed him. He held on, making it last. When he let her go her eyes were shining.

"Logan..."

The soft way she always said his name, almost like a warning, drove him crazy. He moved his body closer to hers, and as they shared another kiss, he felt her clutch up at his shoulders. He ran his hand down her side, pulling her more firmly against him. Jubilee stifled a moan.

"Oh, fo' goodness sake, jus' go to bed! Don' you two ever stop?"

At the annoyed and half-asleep sound of Gambit's voice, they abruptly broke apart, and Jubilee giggled despite herself, quickly muffling it with her hand.

"I swear to god I'm gonna kill that Cajun yet..." Wolverine, comically menacing, muttered under his breath. Jubilee just smiled, tucking her head to fit under his chin. She fell asleep within minutes, but Wolverine, nocturnal as ever, stayed awake awhile listening to her breathing, her heart. Looking through the bars on the skylight and thinking dark thoughts, keeping them carefully separate from the ones he had for the woman he held in his arms.

***

Daybreak woke them all up one by one. Dusty beams of sunlight streamed in.

"All right, who's ready to make a plan?" Cyclops pushed himself to his feet asked, rather too cheerily for someone who had slept on a dirt floor all night. He was greeted with a few groans, and Rogue made a halfhearted attempted to slug him. He looked annoyed.

"Come on! We all had sleep, now it's time to get up. Right? Get up!"

"Some of us din' get no sleep last night, homme," Gambit said, voice a bit slurred, "Between de two lovebirds over dere..." Jubilee blushed, Logan rolled his eyes, "and yo' snoring, I couldn' sleep at all."

"That wasn't me snoring! That was Jea--uh..." Too late. Cyclops' looks could kill, but Jean's was downright deadly. Cyclops sighed. He should've listened to his horoscope. It had said, "Beware of unhappy encounters with your spouse; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Maybe Jean wasn't scorned, but she sure wasn't very happy, and that spelled bad news for him.

"Cyclops is right," Storm said carefully brushing herself off and stretching like a cat.

"If we do plan on escaping, I would suggest now would be the best time to start."

Cyclops smiled at her. "Thank you, Ororo. I've been thinking, how about the window? I mean, there's enough of us..."

"We ain't acrobats, just X-Men."

"Come on, we've got to try something. I'm guessing we'll only need about three of us to reach it. Logan, you're the sturdiest, you be on the bottom."

"Great." Logan said sarcastically, and with a sigh, moved to stand directly beneath the barred skylight. 

"I'm thinking Gambit should probably go next, because he's thin and tall, and then Jubilee, since she's the lightest."  
"What are you gonna be doin', Cyke?" Logan asked, looking over at him.

"I'll- uh, supervise."

Logan snorted. Gambit, with an agile leap, jumped up Logan's back, and carefully stood, balancing, on his broad shoulders.

"Okay, Jubilee."

She gulped. She was a gymnast, but it still looked awfully high. Taking a deep breath, she let Logan give her a boost up, then quickly scaled Gambit. She stood shakily.

"I can touch it!" She yelled down to them, relieved she had made it. Her legs wobbled a little on Gambit's shoulders, and her enthusiasm was forgotten.

"I got you, chere."

"See if you can pull them down. See if you can find a weak spot or...see anything." Cyclops called up to her. She grasped the bars.

"They're pretty sturdy, but..." Using all her upper body strength, she yanked at them. The bars didn't budge, but a good size chunk of dirt and a shower of dust fell from the ceiling.

"Ugh--" She turned her face away, but it had already gotten in her mouth and eyes. 

"Yuch!"

"You ok up there?"

"Bleah. Yeah, I'm fine."

The dust floated to the ground, making the sunlight momentarily dark. Strained under the weight of two full-grown people on top of him, Logan's sensitive nose twitched. Oh, no. This was not the time.

"Uh--Jubes, maybe you better get down..." Logan said, glancing up.

"Why?" She asked, trying at the bars again.

"I think I'm gonna-- gonna-- ah, ah, ACHOOO"

Logan let out the mother of all sneezes. There was a yell from Gambit as he lost his balance and the pyramid toppled. Jubilee found herself suddenly fifteen feet in the air with nothing beneath her. She screamed and waved her arms, flapping like some large bird, but to no avail.

There was a loud thump as Gambit landed solidly on top of Logan, and Jubilee completed the pile. She quickly got up, rubbing her back. She looked over and laughed at the sight she saw.

"Logan, you're making me jealous!"

"Cajun...If ya wanna see another day I suggest ya get off me...right...now!"

Gambit jumped off Logan and muttered a few curses in French.

"Yeah, yer real funny, darlin'."

Jubilee just laughed harder.

"Ok...Obviously that didn't work." Cyclops said, oblivious to the amusing side of the situation. "What else can we do? What about these walls. They are made of dirt, aren't they? Even without powers, we should be able to--"

"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Storm said, scraping away part of the dirt on the wall to reveal something dull and solid underneath. "There's metal sheeting."

Cyclops frowned in frustration. "They made it deceptively simple...but...there's got to be something. A way out."

"What about tha' collars?" Rogue asked tugging at the ring of metal around her neck.

"I recognize dese models," Gambit replied darkly, shuffling a deck. "You try to mess wit dem, dey kill you. It ain't pretty."

There was silence. 

"All right," Cyclops said, slowly, as if he were trying to keep himself calm. "If we can't think of anything that will help towards our escape now, lets look at the more immediate situation. We haven't been given any food or water, so they may be attempting to starve us."

The air in the room seemed heavy as no one spoke and Cyclops' words rang out clearly.

"Also, they seem to have a particular interest in Logan..."

Again the room was left in silence. Jubilee and Rogue were looking in different directions. Storm was staring straight ahead without seeing anything. Cyclops stepped down, and considerably hushed conversation resumed.

***

The day, above all else, was boring. They sat talking, dozing, Gambit playing cards, until night began to fall. No one had come in or out; there were so signs of life save them. They were all hungry, and thirsty and tired, but no one dared say a word. Wolverine was sitting off by himself, brooding in a corner. He looked up when he saw Jean approach him.

She seemed to be scrutinizing him. She hadn't gotten used to his younger face, or the fact that there was less muscle mass on his body. His normally hirsute chest was bare; he didn't have any stubble, and only a remnant of side burns. His eyebrows were knitted, his face unconsciously in his perpetual frown, as he seemed to be in deep thought. She sat down next to him.

"Hey." She said softly.

His eyes instantly snapped up, and saw her face dimly lit by the evening light.

"Hey yerself," He murmured. She rubbed the back of her neck, not quite sure how to say this, as he waited for her to speak.

"Logan, I'm...concerned..."

"Ain't we all, Jeannie?"

"...about you and Jubilee." 

He looked at her, his eyes cold.

"Ain't none a' your business, Red."

"I think it is, Logan, and you know it. Both of you are part of this team, and I'd hate to see either of you get hurt...again."

He looked into her face at this, almost with an expression of surprise. "Funny. Seems you never cared one way or another 'fore now."

She looked down and swallowed. He was referring to her. He'd loved her, even before Scott, and she'd turned him down. He let her go with his blessings, but sometimes she thought...she knew...she still saw longing in him.

"Logan...I...We settled this a long time ago."

"Don't know what you're talkin' 'bout."

She gave a little sigh of frustration. He was being difficult.

"Us, Logan, I was talking about us."

At this he turned to face her, only inches away. His voice was low and intimidating.

"I said there ain't nothin' to talk about, Red. I love her. I love Jubilee."

But even as he said these words, he leaned in, and their eyes locked. Jean was suddenly left breathless; unaware she was sitting on the ground in a holding cell with her teammates. There was a second of quivering tension as Logan's eyes burned into her.

"Jean..." He said, in a low, warning tone.

She made the last move, tilting her head up so that it met his. There was the first warm contact of her lips against his, when--

"Bitch!" Someone grabbed her hair, and yanked hard. She let out a cry of pain as her head was jerked back.

"Jubilee! What are you doing?" Storm yelled, turning at Jean's cry. Jubilee's eyes were furious; her cheery face twisted as Jean turned to face her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jubilee yelled. "So you don't want him 'till you can't have him, huh?" 

Jean's face was white, she was speechless.

"Stay away from my man, you fucking whore!" Jubilee yelled angrily, and Gambit grabbed her as she rushed for him.

"Yah got no right ta speak to Jean like that!" Rogue yelled at Jubilee, taken aback by her language. "It ain't her fault if yo' boyfriend can't keep his hands to himself. Ah never liked you anyways, yoah too damn annoyin'!"

"Now chere!" Gambit said immediately shocked by her words. "Dat ain't a fair t'ing to say!"

"Don't tell me what ta think, Remy!" She yelled.

"Now, all of you, please, can't we calm down and handle this like adults?" Cyclops asked, attempting to intervene.

"Shut up, Scott! Just shut up!"

At this sudden outburst from Jean, Cyclops fell silent. He looked hurt. And at that moment, Jubilee managed to break away from Gambit with an elbow in the groin that left Gambit yelling in French on the ground. Jubilee jumped Jean, who tried to defend herself. Wolverine, who until now had watched silently, tried to intervene, fearing for both their lives.

"Jubes! Phoenix! Break it up! I assure you, I ain't worth it!"

"Male chauvinist pig!" Jean screamed, and both the girls turned their rage towards him. Logan, who couldn't bear to hurt either of them, cowered under their blows. All the rage, the frustration of being caged had built up and finally exploded.

"Get offa me, ya crazy broads!"

"STOP!"

The word was yelled so loudly, with such deep authority, that everyone did. Storm, expression dark beyond recognition, stood untouched above them.

"Look at yourselves. Look what you've let them do to you." The disgust in her tone was enough to make them all cringe. 

"You're acting like children."

Jubilee pushed away from Logan, and moved as far away from him as she could, tears brimming in her eyes. Jean, looking dazed above all else, moved quietly away towards Scott, who wouldn't look at her.

Storm still stood above them all, the picture of indignance. This time her voice was quiet, but clear.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves." 

And they were.

***

The stillness lasted until the wind started up. The morale was nonexistent. Cyclops wasn't even trying, which to some was more frightening than the fact they had nothing to eat. Even if they didn't like him, even if at times he was annoying beyond belief, he always, always, kept up the team spirit. Now the prison, bleak to begin with, was stark and frigid, like a black hole in the middle of nowhere. The rest were motionless in the pitch black. 

Miserable. Jubilee heard someone softly sobbing, and wasn't sure it wasn't herself. It was bone-cold, and goosebumps ran up and down her arms. All she wanted to do now was be with Logan, but she couldn't. That would be saying everything was all right, nothing had happened. But nothing was all right. She rubbed her hands together, attempting to get the feeling back into them and trying to push a picture of him and Jean out of her mind. He hadn't meant it, she knew that. 

This was stupid. These men, these mysterious people who had brought them here, had broken the X-Men. Their strength had been in the fact that they were a team. 

In a sudden rush, Jubilee knew what she would do.

_This can't be it. We're too good for this. We're too strong, and we love each other too much. We're a family._ She lifted up her head from her knees.

"When you're not strong, I'll be your friend..."

A thin voice rang out in the blackout, but it was undeniably Jubilee's. It shook a little with the cold, but it was loud and clear.

_"I'll help you carry on..."_

Suddenly, she heard another voice join hers. Logan, baritone and hopelessly off-key, was singing at the top of his lungs.

_"...It won't be long, 'till I'm gonna need, somebody to lean on..."_

Gambit's voice, thick with his accent followed, followed by Rogue, and she felt someone touch her in the dark. As the chorus rang out, they unconsciously gathered under the skylight.

_"Just call on me brother, when you need a hand, we all need somebody to lean on..."_

Jean's melodious voice and Scott's tenor completed the song, and in the near dark it echoed loudly as they held one another's hands.

_"I just might have a problem, that you'd understand,"_

Storm started up, and Jubilee smiled, singing loudly, her eyes closed, reveling in the strength that made up the core of the X-Men. Suddenly, the walls didn't seem so foreboding; the wind didn't seem so cold anymore.

_"We all need somebody to lean on. Just call me. Just call me. We all need somebody to _

lean on."

The song, the experience, was almost supernatural. Their voices soared, and as the last note died out, they crowded together like kids at a campfire. Logan's voice suddenly broke out.

"Hey, Gambit."

"What?"

"What'd you say about the collars again?"

"I said you mess wit dem, dey kill you."

"Yeah, but how?"

"Dey give you some kinda shock. It ain't pleasant."

"Then that's it!"

No one could see him, but all turned towards the sound of Logan's voice in the dark.

"Take mine off."

"But..."

"It'll shock me or whatever, but then my healin' factor 'll kick in an'..."

"No!" Jubilee yelled, surprising herself. "It's too dangerous, Logan. What if it kills you before you can heal? Then we'll be stuck with one dead X-Man, and even less hope."

"It's a risk I'm willin' to take, Jubes." He said, secretly relieved that there had been real concern in her voice.

"It's worth it. At least, I think so." Scott could be heard. His voice was steady again.

"We'll try it in the morning."

Leaning against one of her teammates, Jubilee fell into a restless sleep. For the first time in the prison, she relished the night and dreaded the morning.


	7. Sorrow and Light

**SUMMARY:** The X-Men battle it out for freedom, and something goes wrong with Logan. How will Jubilee deal, and can she save him? Will she and Jean start the catfight of the century?

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DISCLAIMER: I'm getting no money for this. However, if anyone wants to give me money, hey, I'm not refusing.

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RATING: Gratuitous violence, passionate almost-sex, and some sailor-like swearing. In other words, nothin' new.

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AUTHORS NOTE: Hey! Even with school trying its hardest to stop me, I managed to post yet another part of the Great American Nove-- uh, I mean, my fanfic. Look forward to next parts with little tributes to Hugh Jackman, and references to the _Wolverine_ comics. Comicverse, movieverse, ultimateverse-- baby, as long as I'm getting my fix, It's all good.

As fate would have it, Jubilee's fears were for naught. That morning they all arose, stiff, in pain, but ready to win the day. However, the moment was rather grim, as Gambit prepared to remove Logan's collar.

"Hey, maybe Gambit's wrong, no? Maybe these t'ings don' have a failsafe."

"Just shut up and get it over with, Gumbo."

Jubilee, who had bitten her nails down to the quick, giggled nervously out of habit.

"Ok, now hold still.."

Gambit concentrated as he turned the bobby pin of Jean's he had been using as a makeshift lock pick.

"Just…hold o-" 

There was a sudden spark, and Jubilee jumped back. The collar fell to the ground with a hollow clank. Logan stood perfectly still, teeth gritted. Jubilee winced, as she saw the burn marks on Logan's neck quickly disappearing. At least he was alive.

"Logan, are you ok?"

She could've puked at Jean's concerned voice. They may have reunited as a team the night before, but the scene of Jean and Logan had lodged itself in her head.

_This is so not the time, Jubilee._

She forced her vengeance to wait. She knew he loved her. That was all that mattered, right?

"Say something!"

They all waited, concerned, staring at the mute and still Logan, so that when he spoke it startled them all.

"Ouch."

Jubilee let out a huge breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding in. Logan felt at his neck a little, then shrugged as his eager teammates gathered around. It was almost an air of excitement; today was the jailbreak. Back to freedom, the comforts of a mansion and home.

"Let's do this."

***

Dr. Clyde turned the long concrete corridor carrying a tray of food. He stopped a moment to spit in it. Filthy mutants. If it were up to him, they shouldn't be fed at all, but Dr. Cornelius insisted they be kept alive. 

__

Thinks he's so high and mighty, just because he's got a degree in genetics

He looked down at the tray of old bread he was carrying before punching the access code to the door.

"Here's your grub, freaks, come and ge--"

It happened so fast, he didn't even have time to scream. A strong arm was wrapped around his neck, and-- a claw? Yes. A long, bone, claw at his throat. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Don't even try it bub. I got five more where this one came from. Do you really wanna see 'em?"

He shut his mouth. He was beginning to shake in fear, the upset tray of bread the last thing on his mind.

"Wh-w-what d-d-do y-you p-people want?"

"Ya mean besides seein' your lifeless body after I-"

"Logan!"

"Right. Give me the keys to the collars."

If it was even possible, his eyes grew even wider at this command.

"No! I can't, they would blame me! I can't gi-"

Two more claws slid out, scraping the underside of his chin.

"You wanna change yer answer? Last chance."

His jaw worked back and forth, but no words came out. At last with a shaking hand he pulled out a set of jangling keys.

"Thanks. Good choice." Logan said, and released him to the floor. He hit the dirt and sat there, dazed, among pieces of stale bread as the X-men slammed the grate to the prison behind him.

"H--Hello?" He called. The reply echoed.

No one answered.

***

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Logan?"

"For the last time One-Eye, yeah, I'm sure."

After exiting the prison, they had crawled up through a sort of concrete tunnel, following Logan's nose all the way. After was seemed like hours of making their way through damp, cramped spaces they heard a menacing whisper from Logan.

"Get ready."

At that there was a sudden cry far away, probably from the surface, and sunlight streamed in as the X-Men burst out, ready for action. Jubilee was tackled the second she was above ground, and took off half a man's face as she defended herself. She blinded two more running towards her. The chaos and violence of the battle was awesome. All of the members of the X-Men, angered at being cooped up for so long, were going all out. Gambit was raining a hail of cards down on attackers, and when he ran out, resorted to charging stones and throwing them. Rogue was being the sniper-- flying up, then soaring down to kick ass and take names when the attackers began to gang up on any one X-Man.

Jean and Scott were standing side-by-side, Jean nearly glowing with her telekinetic prowess, the bullets around flashing sudden brilliant pink as they hit her TK shields. Cyclops had his visor turned to maximum, and was destroying whole sides of buildings with each blinding beam. Jubilee was holding her own. 

Wolverine cut down another nameless face. Blood was before his eyes now, and heaven help anything that got in his way. Another figure-- a blur, trying to escape. He tackled it, bringing it down hard, and rolled over, claws ready to sink in. The sudden shriek startled him. He blinked, and for a moment his vision cleared. He was holding down Mystique, her face twisted in fear.

"Please…Wolverine…I saved your life…"

His hand held in midair, he paused. She lay beneath him, motionless and wide-eyed. Suddenly, with a snarl of disgust, he let her go.

"Get the hell outta here,"

Not even pausing to look back, she formed into a wolf and ran.

The most awesome sight to behold, perhaps, was Storm. Her eyes a milky white, she had flown up several meters. Dark clouds swirled around her, shrouding her, then dissipating, and with one hand she was directing earth- shattering bolts of lightening that hit the ground and detonated, shaking the surrounding area and charring the earth.

While the mutant power was incredible, the uniformed attackers kept pouring on, pressing in. Rogue was hit in the arm, and their aerial force had been taken out. Scott soon followed with a blow to the head. The fighting was getting desperate, as Logan ferociously skewered with his claws, and Jubilee was now shooting plasma to kill, instead of just blind. The line kept backing farther and farther up, until with a sudden wild rush Jean was knocked brutally aside and it was broken. 

Jubilee saw it now with fear in her eyes. They were going to lose. But she, in that moment, was prepared to fight to the death. And just as she thought she could hold them back no longer, a sudden wind kicked up, strong enough to knock her off her feet. They all instinctively looked skyward, and saw not Storm, but--

"The blackbird?"

Suddenly the men in front of her fell away and Beast and Iceman appeared, followed closely by Paige, Emma, and Gen X. Jubilee nearly laughed. This was some illusion, right? Angelo, M, and Chamber appeared. They greeted each other.

"Hey, Gel. Miss me?"

_Of course! We've got more than one blackbird! They must've found us.._

With reinforcements, The battle quickly turned. Gen X and the rest of the X-Team members rushed the remaining guards, and truth be told, they didn't stand a chance. As soon as the last enemy line was scattered, there was cheering. The fierce atmosphere turned into more of a parade for their victory. Shouts and smiles were exchanges as they stomped out the last of the buildings. Pieces of ice streaked the sky as Bobby whizzed by, and Jubilee popped fireworks, reveling in the reunion. There was a sudden rainbow of TK energy as Jean embraced Scott among the rubble that had been their prison. Jubilee, turning, saw Logan running towards her, bloody and dissheveled, but with a huge grin on his face. She opened her arms wide, laughing, when--

Logan fell. Suddenly and completely, like a puppet that had its strings cut. It happened so fast he was out before he felt his nose break.

"Logan! Come on, quit playing around!" Jubilee called nervously. He was absolutely still. 

Dead still.

A sudden horrible chill began to crawl up Jubilee's spine as she looked at the inert form of her lover on the ground. The happy cheers and celebration all around made her feel like she was trapped inside a nightmare. Then, all at once, her chest unclenched and she screamed.

"Scott! Scott! Gambit! Jean! Somebody help me! Logan's hurt!"

Jubilee's heart-wrenching cry cut through the laughter like a knife. There was sudden silence as Jean jogged over, remnants of a smile still playing over her face. She knelt down by Logan. 

"He's probably just exhausted himself, Jubilee, he--" She paused as she felt his chest and his wrist again. The color drained so suddenly from her face that Jubilee was afraid she, too, would faint.

"Holy shit."

She'd never heard Jean swear before, and it made her nearly hysterical now. Jean's voice came out rough and strange.

"He's not breathing! Beast, get over here! I need a defibrillator, pure oxygen and two units of whole blood, now!"

Jubilee, speechless, her expression unconsciously drawn back into a grimace of fear, was elbowed aside as fellow X-Men rushed to Logan's rescue. No. No. This was a time for happiness, not fear. She struggled and caught a glimpse of him strapped down to a stretcher, Jean 's face pale and taught. Her cheeks hollow.

"Try it again."

Beast looked all the more fearsome for being so serious.

"Jean, insert this IV, get him on board. If he's gonna make it we've got to get him there NOW! I said NOW, dammit, move it!"

***

She honestly didn't remember flying home. The first thing she remembered was Gambit standing in front of her. His figure was blurry, but it was unmistakably Remy LeBeau.

"Jubilee. Jubilee! Jubilee!"

"What?"

She realized he must have been saying this for some time.

"T'ank god chere, you awake. Dey got news. About Logan."

She realized she was in her room. On her bed. Had she blacked out? How long had she been out? Why was Gambit so anxious?

"What…happened? Gambit? Why are you here?"

Gambit's face suddenly twisted, and he quickly turned away, leaving Jubilee scared and confused.

"Why are you here?" She tried again.

"We all here, chere."

She looked around and realized in the dim lighting of her room that many her teammates were. Jean, Scott, Bobby, Beast, Rouge...No Logan.

"Oh…my God…" She suddenly remembered the fall, and quickly got off her bed, letting Gambit's arm steady her. She took a few deep breaths and well enough to stand on her own.

"Logan…Is he…Is he.."

Beast stepped forward, dismissing the rest of the X-Men from her room She noticed they were silent, stone-faced. He spoke in low, confidential tones Jubilee had to lean in to hear. 

"The good news, young lady, is that Logan is alive. Thanks to modern medical science. We had to resuscitate him. However…"

Beast felt a sudden unbidden rush of tears as he looked at the girl's bright eyes, and hid it by pretending to study his notes. He cleared his throat noisily.

"The genetic deterioration…It's begun…More than that, I'm afraid. It's very advanced. I'm just hypothesizing, but I'm…I'm…I'm terribly sorry, Jubilee."

For a second Beast's warm personality showed through the doctor's façade, but he collected himself again as he cleaned his spectacles.

"He has about a week to live. It came on unexpectedly suddenly. We all…We love him too, even if some of us don't admit it. If you need any help, don't hesitate."

She nodded, perfectly mute. Her eyes weren't focused anymore, and Beast knew she'd stopped listening. He bowed his head and left the room. She stood there, barely breathing for several more minutes. 

"Wait…I want to see him."

Beast looked conflicted, but at last issued her into the medical sector. She took one look at his slack muscles, calm face, and waxy color and left. The heart monitor echoed in her ears. The slow and steady beep that was Logan's life. All that was keeping her alive right now was the sound of that heart moniter. She squeezed her eyes shut.

No, this was not happening. Logic was against it. His healing factor was handling it. This couldn't be beer drinking, rough-talking, hard-assed, good-hearted, kill-you-soon-as-look-at-you Logan. Not the only man she loved. In truth, she'd known this moment had been coming since the day he held the phone clenched in one hand and told her there was a "problem with the mutation." 

__

Maybe it's fate...

Quietly, she began to move again, and softly shut the door to her room. Her hands were trembling. She took out a photo album and thumbed through it. Only when she took the cowboy hat of his she'd carefully kept throughout the years and felt its rough leather beneath her fingers did it hit her. She choked on the first sob, then began to wail. 

She hadn't cried like that since she'd been small, and the tears ran, unrestrained down her face. Huge sobs wracked her petite frame, and she cradled her head in her hands. She tasted salt in her mouth, and blood, realizing she had bitten her lip. She didn't care. Logan was dying. Along with it, the love of her life. Fuck logic. Fuck fate. 

__

I want Logan. 

***

She fell asleep sobbing, and when she woke up, rumpled, her eyes half swollen shut, it was dark in her room. The light in the hall cast a dim glow on the carpet. She let herself lie on the covers of her bed for a few minutes, not moving, breathing cool air, before she heard what had awakened her. It came again. A soft scratching at her window. Jubilee lifted her head. It took an effort, and felt as if it were heavy with sand. The blankets were damp where her tears had wet them. 

A lone raven, holding something that looked like papers in its talons, was scratching at her window. She blinked, unsure she wasn't dreaming. Without hesitation, walking light-headedly to her window, she opened it. As the cold blast of night air hit her, she was more sure than ever that it was more than a hallucination. The raven came in, landed, and with a sudden confusion of color, changed.

"Mystique," Jubilee said in a sort of distant wonder, her voice cracked and her throat scratchy from crying. 

Mystique looked at the girl before her with real pity. She was a mess, and by the way she had just reacted to her entrance, she knew she wasn't completely all there, either. The kid needed a good nose wipe, and a counselor. She didn't have time to wonder at the cause of her distress.

"You are Jubilation Lee, I assume?"

With the same near blank expression, Jubilee nodded blankly. Mystique scrutinized her again, and concluded that this indeed was not an act.

"Here," She handed the documents she had been holding. "These are for your little friend Logan. Tell him…Tell him it's a thanks."

Jubilee's hand gripped the paper, her eyes never leaving the windowsill. Mystique stood a second longer, unsure what to do. At last she decided to do nothing at all, and with a crunch of bone melted off into the raven form and flew into the night.

Once she had gone, Jubilee fell back to her bed, the papers wrinkling in her hand. She stared at her cieling. White stucco. On second thought...she sat up, shaking her head a little to clear it, and carefully unrolled the papers. They looked like…She scanned them once, then twice, and suddenly there was light back in her eyes.

GENETIC THERAPY, SUBJECT: LOGAN, MUTANT DESIGNATE: WOLVERINE,

She scanned down farther, her heart pounding. Could these really be…? She rushed downstairs in a blur of speed, skipping every other step. Adrenaline pumped through her as she dashed around the corner, skidding on the hall rug. The house was dark, and she beat on Hank's door. The blue doctor awoke with a snort, confused and grumbling as Jubilee pulled him into the bright lights of the kitchen babbling excitedly and shoving papers in his face. He took a sleepy look, did a double take, and rushed to get his spectacles. Suddenly half the house was up; Jean was rushing around trailing Beast, Jubilee thought she saw Scott making coffee. Hope nearly radiated off her. The papers were from the site they were held at where they'd ...

"...been experimenting on Logan. This seems to be the entire data table, along with solutions to several of these genetic flaws....Jean! We have something here!"

Beast was totally awake now, and with a flurry of doctor's coats and a slammed door, Jubilee was left alone in the kitchen.

The room where they were operating on Logan was closed, and Jubilee ate breakfast as she waited. She poked her waffle a few times, but she wasn't really hungry. At last Jean stepped out, and for once in her life Jubilee was happy to see her. Her face was haggard, her usually perfect hair mussed, but she smiled and said the two words that lit Jubilee's face like a candle.

"It worked."

The two women embraced, Jubilee squeezing her so hard Jean was afraid she would crack a rib. She waited breathlessly for Jean to speak.

"Those papers, Jubilee…The man who captured us was a renowned genetic scientist. He wanted Logan as the perfect sample and, in analyzing the data he gathered in what looks like several biopsies and extensive background research, we were able to recalibrate the struct..."

She trailed off, realizing it didn't matter as long as Logan was alive.

Jubilee's hold on her slackened and she asked in almost hushed tones.

"Can I see him?"

Jean gestured the way in, and Jubilee closed the door behind her. Jean, still beaming, came up behind Scott, who was leaning over the coffeepot. He felt her hands wrap around his waist and looked behind him.

"Oh, hey! What was that for?"

"Just being you."

He turned to face her and they toasted with coffee cups. 

"You know...I think I would have missed the runt after all, Jean."

She smiled. "I know, honey. I know."

***

She didn't dare believe it. She walked in, and there was her Logan. Before so pale and cold, and now full of life again. He smiled lopsidedly, and they both just stood there a second before she rushed forward into his arms. She was met with a deep kiss, mouth pressed hard against his. She came up for air.

"Logan…"

"We'll talk later," he growled softly, backing them both out of the medical room as he kissed her neck. "God, Jubes…so afraid I lost you."

"You're real…Really here…Logan…"

She was barely coherent, lost in the taste and scent of him.

"Are you sure you're ready for--"

"Yes." Came the growled response as she stumbled back through the doorway.

"You're not too tired Logan, I mean you ju--"

"Feel terrific Jubes. Less talking, more--" He leaned into her, letting his hands do the talking, molding his body to her own.

The door to his room slammed behind them as Jubilee ripped away the hospital gown with a gusto that made him chuckle. Logan pulled her top over her head and tossed it aside. She was kissing him almost violently, her hands against his chest, then tangled in his hair, just letting herself feel.

Pushing her jeans down over her hips she suddenly paused.

"Logan…I don't wanna…umm…go as far as…well…"

"No problem," He said, and she could feel him smile against her shoulder.

"We'll save that for later, Jubes,"

"Mmmm," She said, pushing him down onto the bed. She missed, and they both hit the floor, not even pausing. She felt his hand move between her legs, and then his thumb flickered over exactly the right spot. She jerked her hips and cried out in pleasure. His hands manipulated her body with an incredible practiced ease. He knew when to touch, and where, how hard, how fast. Jubilee would've been rather resentful of this had she been thinking straight. She curled her fingers around him, moving with him, biting down on his shoulder to muffle her own cries. After she came, she lay flushed and breathing hard, watching his face. She loved the expression. A sort of grimace of pleasure, and then the hoarse sound of her name, said in almost reverence, over and over again. 

At last they lay, naked and content, having somewhere in the course of events gotten back on his bed. She lay beside him, playing with his hair.

"You wanna talk, Logan?"

"Mmm? Bout what, darlin?" She loved this expression too. The one of peace, of contentment as he traced her neckline and shoulder blade.

"About us," She said, smiling. He propped himself up on an elbow, and she did the same. On his face he wore almost an expression of amusement. Ah, how to start the conversation. 

"Logan, I hate how sex is so taboo in this society." 

His eyebrows raised.

"You ain't getting' any complaint from me."

"I'm…Ok, I know you probably already…I hate the way this sounds but..."

He was now running his hands along her face, the curve of her jaw, an amused expression on his face.

"What?" 

"I'm a virgin, Logan."

If he was surprised, he didn't really show it, just kind of nodded as if he understood.

"And…I love you. So much. And if I'm ever going to make love to anyone, I want it to be you."

His fingers stopped, and he looked into her eyes.

"Jubes…Are you sure?"

"Yes." She was afraid she might cry again, but not out of sadness. He shifted a little, and when he started talking, his voice was low.

"Jubilee…Ya know..I ain't exactly been chaste. An' over the years, I won't lie, I've…had…a lot of women. And I've been in love a few times. But you…You're different."

She watched him carefully, realizing he was opening up for the first time, with a hint of amazement. He was looking down now, his face unreadable.

"You're the only one that's ever made me laugh. You're the only one I felt I could ever…ever talk to like this. An' that 's what I remember thinking, when I turned young like I am. I thought a' you. With you, look what I've been missing all these years."

She looked at him, tears now shining in her eyes. After near-death, life seemed even sweeter.

"When--when I thought I was gonna die, all I thought about was how much it'd hurt you. 'Cause…Jubes, well, I love you. More than myself. And I'm…I'm finially happy, with you."

A tear dropped on to the pillow and he instantly looked up, concerned.

"Jubes…you okay?"

She smiled pulling in close to him.

"Logan…I…" She rested her face against his, nose to nose. His eyes were sparkling; his hair ruffled so that jet-black strands fell between them.

"There aren't any words." She said at last, truthfully. 

He smiled, and his eyes closed.

" I learned that sometimes, darlin', that's best."

She smiled again, feeling her mind drifting when he spoke again.

"Hey, um, ya ain't gonna tell any of the rest of the X-Men, about this, are ya?"

"You mean that you're not actually an insensitive, emotionally bent brute?"

"Yeah."

"Course not, Logan. I said I loved you, didn't I?"

There was no reply, save for a murmur, and Jubilee closed her eyes to get the first good night's sleep she'd had in days.


	8. Surprise!

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Summary: Jubilee, Logan, and Gambit go clubbing and run into a few unsuspecting guests, and a few unexpected surprises

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Rating: Violence, sex, language…sigh. Does this bore anyone else?

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Disclaimer: Just bought the X-Men at Kmart for $5.99. Take that, Marvel!

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Author's Note: This installment is a bit more light-handed after last chapter's Kleenex fest. If you don't know who the guest stars are, you probably haven't read the latest _Wolverine_'s, so I suggest you do so (they're good!). Also, thanks mucho for reviews, you know I thrive on them. And just to straighten out, no they did not do the wild thang in Ch.3…Damn close, but no. You can either reread it closely, or take my word for it. Hmmm. Both have possibilities. Still, this chapter really drops a bomb…you curious yet? Should be.

Crickets were buzzing and the sun was shining in through the window when Jubilee stumbled in at the breakfast table. Her hair was sticking up in different directions, and her nightshirt was off one shoulder, and she was smiling like an idiot.

"Hey, Jean."

Jean looked over her reading glasses and took in Jubilee's appearance.

"Good morning." She calmly, and took a drink of tea.

"Hey, Red, can ya get me some of that?" Jubilee asked, reaching for a teacup. An amused smile crossed Jean's face.

"Red?"

"Huh. Guess Logan's rubbing up on me. I mean, off on me. Rubbing off on me."

She grabbed a blueberry muffin and took a huge bite. Jean went back to reading the paper.

"Hey, everybody. Jeannie, Jubes." Logan came in whistling, in an unusually good mood.

"You seem awfully cheerful, Logan."

"Hmph." He grunted, then couldn't help it and grinned. "Got any coffee?" 

Jubilee swallowed her giant bite of muffin and turned towards Jean, who didn't even look up as Logan went to work on the Mr.Coffee.

"Omigod, Jean it was so funny. Last night, ok? I was like with Logan, we were-"

She took another bite of muffin, 

"Umm. Talking. Sort of. Anyways, I say something to him and he looked down at me and said the damn funniest thing, he said--,"

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Jean said, annoyed. There was one second of silence, and then both Logan and Jubilee broke out in hysterical laughter. Jubilee nearly choked on her food, and Logan was holding his side. Jean looked up, startled. She stopped to think a second.

"I don't get it."

This just made them laugh harder, and she repeated herself. Then a look of disgust crossed her face.

"That's not what I meant! You two have your minds in the gutter! Forget my appetite!" She dropped the paper and stormed off. Logan wiped tears from his eyes and took a bite out of Jubilee's muffin.

"Dirty mind...hmm...where have I heard that before..."

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "It's synonymous with your name, bub."

"Hey? You stealin' my catchphrases now?"

"Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?"

He considered a second, then grabbed the muffin from Jubilee's hands and finished it off.

"Hey! That was the last one!"

"Call it even, huh Jubes?"

Rogue came storming in a second later, nearly knocking over the breakfast table. A vase wobbled precariously on the edge, but Jubilee managed to stable it. To say that Rogue looked angry would be an understatement.

"Where's that scumbag got to now?"

"I'm guessing you mean Remy?" Jubilee asked.

"Yeah, who else would ah mean? He made a date with some other girl, some blond hussy he met at a club, of all places. The nerve!" 

Satisfied for the moment that he wasn't in the room, she stomped out as quickly as she'd come in. There was a moment of silence as breakfast was eaten, until out of nowhere… 

"Uh, hey, mind if you help Gambit out a little?"

Jubilee swore she was losing her mind...the cabinet had just spoken. Logan strode over and yanked open the tall food cabinet to reveal Gambit and several rows of Cheerios. Damn Professor X. and his health food craze. Logan rolled his eyes.

"Well, if it ain't our resident ragin' Cajun."

"When he starts talking in third person, you know he's worried," Jubilee whispered loudly.

"De chere be mad this time, don't she." He looked around rather nervously.

"What was yer first clue?" Then he eyed Gambit. "She tellin' the truth, Gumbo?"

The look on his face was enough to incriminate him.

"Hey! She don' own me! I can do what I damn well please, an' if I wan' to be seein' someone ot'er than her, I'll do just dat."

He glowered at the two of them.

"You want us to come along?" Jubilee asked, reaching for a pastry.

"Yeah, um, dat would be great, chere."

"Thought so," She said smiling, then took a bite and chewed. "What time?"

***

"Hey! Keep yer hands to yourself!"

"For godsakes, Logan!" Jubilee threw down a pile of clothes and a brush with a look of total frustration on her face.

"How am I supposed to dress you if you won't even let me _touch_ you?"

"Who ever said I needed someone to dress me? I happen ta like what I wear!"

"We're going to a club, not a woodsmen convention. And I bought these clothes myself! With _my_ time! With _my_ money!"

She began working again as she talked, holding up one pair of jeans to him, then another.

"I mean, I opened your closet and was like, hit with just a _wave_ of flannel. And like, two worn out pairs of hiking boots. The motorcycle gear was actually pretty nice, but I'm not sure they'd let you in wearing nothing but a leather jacket and biker gloves."

"Hmmph," He glowered, letting his claws flick in and out of the backs of his hands. Jubilee rolled her eyes. 

"Yeah, tough guy, you're just gonna live with it. Here. Put these on."

Growling some more, he stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door with such force she heard Cyclops faintly from downstairs.

"We're under attack, people!"

She snickered.

She painted her nails while Logan dressed, hoping the smell would get him out faster. She paced. She powdered her nose. She sprayed perfume. At long last she knocked.

"Loooogan. You still alive and breathing in there?"

There was a pause, then a sullen voice announced.

"I ain't comin out."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I ain't."

She smiled to herself and decided to try a different approach.

"I'm not wearing anything but that leather jacket…"

"You're lyin'."

"Maybe, but if it's gonna get you out of there…"

The door flew open, and he scowled. Jubilee beamed.

"Damn! Logan, you look hot!"

Despite the growl this elicited, she could tell he liked the compliment. The truth was, he _did_ look hot. He was dressed in normal teenage garb now-- she'd shopped everywhere from Structure, to thrift stores, to A&F-- and now he was wearing loose jeans, a T-shirt, jacket. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, and he was wearing Nike's.

"Hot in a sort of jailbait, juvenile-delinquent way," She teased.

"At least ya got that part right."

"I have to show you off!" She yelled suddenly, and grabbed him by the arm. It was like trying to move a pillar of stone.

"I'm _not_ goin' outside in these things."

She sighed, knowing another uphill battle was ahead. But she also knew who would win the will of wars. _Logan's such a softie at heart._ She smirked and kept pulling.

* * *

The club was loud and noisy. Music was blaring, flashing colored lights danced crazily, and heat and body sweat abounded. And this was from the outside.

"Not that anyone's interested, but Logan, you and I are out past curfew."

Logan barked out a laugh. "Gee, I hope Charlie don't ground me again, huh?

Jubilee slugged him in the arm. They'd been waiting in line to get into the East Side Rave for over an hour and a half. Gambit kept checking his watch-- and the fake ID's he'd managed to procure for the two minors. If you could ever call Wolverine a minor, that is.

At last they made it to the front window. There was some oily guy behind it taking tickets, and he barely glanced at the counterfeit ID's. They made their way in, pushing and shoving past people dressed in halter tops, pleather, and hair more colors than the rainbow.

"She supposed to meet me here," Gambit said, smoothing out his trenchcoat and smiling as a girl walking by and winked at him. Jubilee held protectively on to Wolverine's arm. She'd be damned if she let some made-up bitch try to make off with him. Logan smiled at the stone cold glances Jubilee was giving to a group of giggling blondes walking by who 'accidentally' brushed into him. Logan was enjoying the moment, blaring music aside, until he saw a young twentysomething man catch Jubilee's eye. All amusement immediately left his face, and he growled a little, moving protectively in front of her.

__

Mine!

It was Jubilee's turn to smile.

At last, once Gambit had downed two martinis, olives and all, Jubilee saw him smile in recognition. A girl in a tight, hot pink tube top, miniskirt, and hip boots walked towards him, swaying her hips. She smiled, lipstick bright. 

And Wolverine smacked his forehead with his hand.

"Aw, cripes, 'A'! You can pick 'em Gumbo, you can really pick 'em!"

"Huh?" Jubilee looked up to Wolverine at this sudden outburst. Gambit ignored him, and focused on greeting the woman. Her hair was in pigtails, deceptively girlish, and she took a lollipop lasciviously out of her mouth as she greeted him.

"Hey, baby. Sorry I'm late."

"T and A! T and freakin' A!"

This time they both looked at him, a little shocked and definitely confused.

"What de hell you sayin', homme?" Gambit asked a little angrily.

"Logan? What do you…?"

The girl looked at Logan. Logan looked at the girl. She lifted up the heart-shaped sunglasses. Then her mouth dropped opened and she spoke.

"Hmmm…Well, I'll be damned! Hey, Wolvie…what happened to you? You lose twenty-years or something since our last lil' roundevous?"

"Where's T?" He growled menacingly. "She's around, ain't she?"

By this time, both Gambit and Jubilee were giving each other helpless glances. Apparently only Logan and the girl knew what was happening.

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around the back of Logan's shoulders.

"Hey! A, I remember this one. He liked it rough, eh?" 

The girl, who obviously knew Gambit's date, turned a critical eye on Jubilee. Her shiny black hair was up in a high ponytail, and her eye makeup was smudged and dark.

"Who's the chick you brought with you, Wolvie?" She asked patronizingly. "She supposed to be your date or something? Looks a little skinny. You sure she can handle you?"

Jubilee's eyes widened and her nostrils flared. She stepped up to T, poking her finger in her face. Hugging her date was strike one. Starting shit with her was a whole 'nother ballgame.

"T n' A, huh? Well, I'll tell you something. I may not have much in the way of tits, but I sure as hell ain't gonna have a problem with kicking your ass!"

Gambit and Wolverine's jaws very nearly hit the floor at Jubilee's new talent for colorful language. At the same time, Logan felt a strange sense of pride_. Yeah, that's my Jubilee, all right._ Gambit just looked floored, as his date picked a dangerous fight with teammate.

The remark did not go unnoticed by the two girls

'A' stepped up, reaching behind her to draw out a trademark dagger.

"You care to wager on that, bitch?"

The people at the club were all too stoned or preoccupied to take notice of this small commotion, but both Logan and Remy immediately came between the two. 

"Hey. I suggest you stop this right now, 'fore somebody really gets hurt," Logan said in a low, menacing tone. The coaster in Gambit's hand was beginning to glow with kinetic energy.

Both the girls looked slightly startled at the sudden male intrusion.

"Fine, I'm so sorry to bother you, Wolvie," 'A' said sweetly, twirling a pigtail. Despite the obviousness of this perky little villain, Jubilee could still see Gambit practically drooling out of the corner of her eye. 'A' turned back to Logan. "You know, if you need any help finding the orphanage you picked that little scamp up at--"

Jubilee swung her fist so fast, neither of the men had time to react. It connected with A's temple, and the sunglasses flew off as she was knocked back, crashing into the bar. She climbed up and felt at her head.

"Ow!" She said, sounding genuinely annoyed. "That hurt!"

Jubilee wasn't prepared for such a quick recovery, and didn't dodge the kick aimed at her head. All she knew was that she was suddenly on the ground with a pounding headache, and a split lip. She instantly sprang up, as she heard the crisp sound of adamantium tearing through Logan's knuckles. 

"I warned ya once, A!"

There was sudden chaos as bystanders began to notice the man with bone spikes coming out of his hands, and the girl with a knife; T cracked the whip that had been held at her hip holster. With a sudden roar and charge from Logan, and a quick flash of fireworks from Jubilee, panic ensued. 

The heavy, hypnotic beat of the music droned on as people screamed and ran. Jubilee took another kick to the chest before she managed to grab A's foot and flip her. T had taken down Gambit, and was currently occupying Logan. He took a swing at her and missed, taking out a row of clean glasses on the bar top. They shattered on the floor, as T jumped him.

"Stay away from my man, you Vampira wannabe!" Jubilee yelled, throwing a nearby shotglass at T, who ducked, and it hit Logan instead.

"Thanks, Jubes, real nice aim!"

'A' grabbed her from behind and Jubilee felt a sudden pain as she was body slammed to the ground.

"I always _knew_ I was watching WWF for something," 'A' mused, until Gambit grabbed her ankle from the floor, and she went down. Wolverine cut through T's whip, but she managed to slug him in the face. Logan barely winced, but T held her fist in pain.

"Shit!" 

It was never a good idea to hit a man whose skeleton was laced with metal. 

At some point, someone pulled the fire alarm, but by then the four mutants were too wrapped up in beating each other to notice it.

***

The fight ended abruptly and rather anti-climatically. They were literally thrown out of the club by bouncers, and told never to come back again if they wanted to keep their money and their lives. T and A sulked a bit, then eventually skulked away, muttering to the owner that they were only trying to have a little fun. This left Gambit, Jubilee, and Logan, standing in a dark back alley, the thud of club music still audible. 

There were a few seconds of nearly tangible silence.

"I uh-- I know a good ice cream place we can all go," Jubilee suggested. Logan looked up, jarred out of murderous thought about T&A, looked over at her, and gently placed his thumb over the cut on her lip. She smiled, which hurt, but she ignored the pain.

"I'm fine, Logan. What about it?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. Sorry yer date got kinda ruined, Cajun."

Gambit ran his hands despairingly through his auburn hair, and then shook his head disbelievingly.

"Yah, well, what can I say? Didn't really work out, no?"

They walked together along the silent streets, lamplight and moonlight creating beautiful shadows. They stopped in front of a Leatherby's. It was small, and nearly empty. The light inside told them it was still open, and the bell chimed as they walked in.

"Hey, I'd like a triple scoop of bubble gum, praline, and mocha delight. Sugar cone, please." Jubilee, of course.

Logan ordered plain old chocolate. Gambit stepped up next. The lady at the cash register looked up expectantly.

"Yes?"

"Hello dere, chere. I'd like a--Rogue!" 

"I'm sorry, sir? We don't have that flavor…"

But Gambit wasn't listening. He had spotted the lone figure eating a dish of ice cream at a booth by herself. Rogue looked up and was evidently as surprised as he was. He froze.

"Don't just stand there catchin' flies in yer mouth! Go to her!" Logan prompted, elbowing the Cajun in the ribs. He did as told and walked over, taking each step stiffly. Rogue spooned idly from her banana split.

"Hey. How was yoah date?" Rogue took a bite without looking up. "She pretty?"

Gambit still looked a bit stunned, but when he answered back, it was with warmth, as he slid into the seat across from her.

"Not as pretty as you, chere,"  
Rogue looked up from her ice cream with an expression of anger. She couldn't believe the gall of this man.

"What game are ya tryin' tah play this time, Remy?"

"No game, chere, I just--"

"Think you can just waltz in here…Prob'ly think ah've been thinkin' about yah all night, well lemme tell you somethin', Cajun!"

She pointed at him menacingly with the ice cream spoon, then suddenly seemed to collapse, her head in her hands.

"Ah have."

"Ah, chere," Gambit melted like the half-eaten split in front of her.

"You know Gambit, he never mean anyt'ing by it. I love you chere. You de one I want to be with. Sometime, I jus' get a little frustrated, dat's all. But Rogue…It's always been you."

He looked more surprised at himself for actually saying it than Rogue did. Jubilee and Logan watched silently from a distance.

"Remy…You…You really mean it?"

Gambit looked at her, straight in the eye.

"Yes, chere, I do."

Rogue's eyes filled with hope and tears. 

And then the words tumbled out.

"Remy LeBeau. Will you marry me?"

Two booths away, Logan choked on his ice cream cone. Two booths ahead, Gambit did the same, though he didn't have ice cream as an excuse. Jubilee pounded on Logan's back until the hacking dissipated. He tossed the rest of the cone away and whispered,

"Time ta go, Jubes."

As they left, Logan cocked his head to the side, his sensitive hearing catching the end of the conversation, too quiet for the normal human range. Jubilee was beside herself with anticipation as they walked out into the cold night air.

"What'd he say?!"

"Yes," Logan said with a smile. "Smartest thing the Cajun's ever done."

***

Her breath turned into fog and drifted away as they walked away from the warmth of the Leatherby's. Logan walked by her side, saying nothing.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Logan looked up, startled. "Nothin' interestin', Jubes. Just thinkin' how pretty you looked in th' moonlight."

This unexpected sentiment touched her.

"Hey. You don't look half bad yourself."

He smiled. "Remember that night ya dunked me, Jubes?"

"You mean the pool?" She blushed despite herself, remembering. 

"I can't believe I actually got away with that. I mean, that we weren't caught."

"Mmm. Maybe it's fate, Jubes."

"I don't believe in fate," She said, turning to face him under a street lamp.

"I believe we choose our own destinies."

"I know some who would argue, but I kinda tend to agree with you." He took out a coin and began to idly flip it, leaning against a _No Loitering_ sign. Jubilee caught the coin in midair.

"Logan…Can you find us a good hotel around here?"

"Well, sure.." He looked at her suspiciously. "Why would ya want…" It suddenly dawned on him. He took her face in his hands.

"Jubes, you sure you wanna do this now? I mean, I don't wanna pressure you or anything. Don't think I won't wait for you, cause--"

"Logan?"

She brought his lips up to his, and they stood under the neon streetlights in a close embrace. She looked up.

"Don't make me beg."

He grinned at her.

"Gimme a phone book an' five minutes, and I'll get ya in the damned Hilton, if that's what you want, Jubes."

She felt like she was on fire. She felt like she was dreaming. She felt kinda sick to her stomach. She was in love.

"As long as it's tonight."

***

The room was foreboding. Partly it was because all the walls were metal. It kept the temperature cool, air frigid. Voices echoed. Mystique sat perfectly still, trying not to shiver, on the steel chair. 

Magneto stood before her.

"You asked me here, my lord?"

She knew he'd get some kind of power trip off of the title "my lord", and she was very afraid she was in trouble now.

"Mystique," The booming voice began. Eric Lenscherr was dressed in full regalia, helmet, and flowing cape. There were deep lines on his face, but his eyes were bright and quick as a madman. This meant business. Mystique clasped her hands in her lap and bit her lips.

"Now…there's no need to be so nervous. I'm simply curious."

After a pause,

"Really? About what?" She asked, finding her voice surprisingly nonchalant.

"As you know, you are one of my oldest and most loyal members of the Brotherhood, and lately, I've sensed that something's been…amiss."

"Something wrong?" Mystique echoed, trying to keep out the fear evident in her eyes. He turned suddenly to face her, making her jump a little. His tone came out much harsher than it had before. He held up his index finger.

"For one, Raven, you've saved a member of the X-Men's life. Twice, by my count. I need to know why."

She thanked god for once in her life that her skin color made her incapable of blanching, because she paled considerably at his words.

"Are you switching alliances on us, Mystique? I advise you tell me now… while you still can."

She opened her mouth to speak, then just shook her head instead. Magneto began to pace, counting up another finger.

"Then, you began to miss the Brotherhood meetings. Lately, I've not seen you around it all. Now I am asking you, Raven, what is wrong."

"I--I--" She stammered, and suddenly the metal arms of the chair became alive, wrapping around her wrists. The twisted restraints clamped down, and Magneto's voice lowered ominously.

"I'm asking you, Raven. Don't make me order you."

"I," She said, desperately, her calm features suddenly charged with emotion.

"I…I am with child."

"What?" This was obviously not the answer Magneto was expecting.

"I'm pregnant."

With a flick of his hand, the wrist restraints eased a little. Magneto had recovered quickly from this initial shock, and now seemed almost pleased. A baby could, after all, mean a new addition to the Brotherhood.

"How far along are you?" He asked, tone almost pleasant now.

"Six months," She whispered, then added. "Easy to hide when you're a shapeshifter." She was dreading the question she knew was coming next.

"And who is the father?"

At the sudden silence, Magneto again turned to her, and looked into her face.

"I will repeat myself, in case you did not hear me. Who is the father of the child?"

Mystique knew there was no way out now. She could lie, but for how long? And with what consequences? She shivered, knowing how heartless her master could be. Her lips trembled as she spoke the name out loud for the first time.

***

"Logan! Logan! Oh, God, Logan!"

Jubilee's body arched up as she cried out without shame, eyes sliding closed. He was breathing hard above her, then calling her name with a hoarse roar in return. They were both covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and Jubilee had utterly lost track of time. It seemed as if this pleasure was to last forever. He collapsed on her, and she reveled in his heat and solid weight. He rolled her over, bodies still intertwined. They were both trying to catch their breath.

"Nice fireworks show, Jubes," He managed at last, smiling and kissing her.

"What do you mean?" She asked, smiling unconsciously back. He laughed, rolling over again and taking her with him.

"You made a sort of rainbow. Damn pretty, but ya nearly blinded me."

"I did?" She blushed, then grinned. Logan lay, his head pillowed on her breast.

"Mmmm. Comfortable. Might make a home here, Jubes." 

She giggled, running her hands through his hair. She had no idea how long they'd been making love. Somewhere around all night, she supposed, because the very first rays of dawn were visible in the sky outside. After a while of them both lying in contentment, Jubilee spoke reluctantly up.

"You know, we probably should get back to the mansion. I'm sure they're worried."

There was a growl from Logan that she could feel throughout her own body.

"Don't want to leave yet, Wolverine?" She asked. She felt another growl.

"You goin' feral on me?" She asked him, meeting his mischievous eyes with her own. He pounced, and she got her answer.

***

The mansion was alive with activity. 

Gambit and Rogue, engaged! 

Jean was particularly busy, seeing to it that every detail of the wedding was going to be perfect. And she meant _perfect_. 

She and Bobby looked up from a bridal catalogue as the door opened and Jubilee and Logan walked in. Jubilee was wearing his shirt, and seemed a little unsteady on her feet. Wolverine pulled her in for a kiss, then found his way inside. He looked happier than she'd ever seen him before.

"Jean! It's great to see you!" Jubilee cried. She was positively glowing. Both Jean and Bobby were staring. Bobby was the one to speak up.

"Dude! Did you…" He looked at the smile on Jubilee's face. Then turned to Logan. He was strutting a little, and he was…Smiling? Unheard of!

"And you-- Did you two just--"

Jean cleared her throat noisily to interrupt him.

"Bobby, please! Focus!"

He totally ignored her.

"Jean! Jubilee! Wolverine! I can't believe it! I mean, it's great! Were you…?"

Jubilees silly grin and Wolverine's menacing glance were enough to convince him.

"Jean! They were just--"

"Bobby!" Jean yelled, then smoothed out her skirt to regain her complacency. "Remember, focus? We're very glad you two…made it back…in one piece." She said. 

Jubilee managed to stifle her snickering until she and Logan had made it back to his room. They shut the door behind them.

"Guess the secret's, out huh?" She asked. She enjoyed watching him smile, it so rarely happened naturally.

Wolverine let himself collapse back onto his bed, hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.

"Guess so."

"Wonder what everyone will think," Jubilee mused, picking up a photo of herself off his dresser and glancing at it idly.

"To hell with everyone else, Jubes I got you!"

She grinned. "I'm all yours."

At that moment, Wolverine was the happiest he had been in the longest time he could remember. He lived in the moment, cherished it. 

Seconds later, the world turned upside-down.

***

"Now, Rogue said she wanted lace."

"Yeah, but that looks so…old fashioned. I dunno…"

Jean and Bobby were pouring over the bridal catalogue again when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Bobby said quickly, eager to get away from the clutches of Jean and her thousands of frilly wedding dresses. He sauntered over to the door, opened it, and stood there, speechless. After a moment, when it was evident that Bobby had been shocked stupid, she spoke.

"Well, X-Man? Are you going to let me in or not? Tell me to leave and I will."

"Umnn.." The Iceman scratched the back of his head, then turned.

"Jean? We..umm..Have a visitor."

Mystique peered around Bobby from under the shawl she was wearing.

"Well by all means, Bobby, show them in! Don't be ungracious!" Jean said, her voice faint from the hall.

"Come in…Come in Ms…Umm.."

"Darkholme," Mystique supplied, and stepped cautiously in, just as Jean rounded the corner.

"Welcome to the man--" She stopped mid-speech. "Mystique!" Her hand spread reflexively, but Mystique made no move to attack. Instead she looked her in the eye.

"Jean…Grey, is it? Codename Phoenix? The telekinetic one."

Jean ignored the question, and kept her hand raised.

"What are you doing here? Tell Magneto this is no way to infiltrate us…"

"I don't mean anyone any harm, I'm here alone," She said immediately, holding her hands out to show she was unarmed. Jean was unmoving.

"Why?" 

"It's personal." Mystique said coldly.

When Jean still did not move, Mystique lowered her voice.

"I need to see your doctor. McCoy? Hank McCoy? And…Well I believe I've got some news that will affect us both."

Jean's empathy told her that Mystique was being honest. She slowly lowered her hand.

"Come in."

By now, the rest of the X-Men had gathered in the living room and were looking at Mystique with what could be loosely construed as an unfriendly manner. She stepped forward, took a breath, and began.

"I'm pregnant, and in three months, I'm going to give birth."

The statement seemed so odd and random, that the looks of suspicion on the faces of the X-Men turned to that of confusion. She heard Rogue whisper, "She got a screw loose or something." Turning a deaf ear to all the comments, her voice unwavering, she continued.

"I'm going to have a baby."

And she turned to face Wolverine.

"Logan, it's yours."


	9. Oh, Baby

****

SUMMARY: Oh, ouch, that hurt. What's gonna become of Logan and Jubes, our favorite dysfunctional couple?

****

RATING: Whole buncha bad language, some alcohol to minors (say no to drugs, kids!) not so much adult situations. Change is good, every once in a while, no?

****

AUTHORS NOTE: OK, I like, totally blew off school to write this damn thing, but…It had to come out! I mean, I couldn't leave it on a cliffhanger forever (or risk getting flamed off fanfic.net) Hope you like this chap. It's not one of my best, but hey, can't be perfect every time. FYI, Mystique & Wolvie really did do the nasty, in _Wolverine_ 51, so don't say it's impossible. I'm struggling for an ending, I'm thinking this story has about two more chapters left in it, then I'm on to something new. Suggestions are welcome, and, as always, I love ya if you review.

Jubilee laughed out loud. It was eerie, and broke the sudden heavy silence of the room. Some of the X-Men looked around at each other, murmuring. Bobby even joined in, nervously laughing a little.

"Nice try, Mystique."

She stepped forward boldly. 

"Now why don't you go back to your little Brotherhood, since you're done with this…this _prank_."

Mystique didn't look amused. She looked shocked, and then angry. She whirled around to face Jubilee.

"You think I'm lying, you foolish child? If you don't believe me, ask _him_."

Her finger was pointed at Logan.

And Jubilee turned to him, smile on her face.

The smile died slowly. It was painful to watch.

Wolverine looked like he was about to throw up. His face had gone a shade of ashy pale, and he stood there with no reaction at all. Then he swallowed, hard.

"Logan...?" Jubilee prompted, still waiting for the punchline.

They'd all laugh. Ha ha ha, Mystique's crazy. Real funny. Right?

"Jube--" His voice came out a hoarse whisper, and he cleared his throat and tried again.

"Jubilee, I..." He stopped right there. And the silence, more than anything else, convinced her, and convicted him. The rest of the X-Men had quieted again. Some were blatantly staring. Cyclops' jaw had actually dropped, and Rogue's eye's couldn't get much wider.

And then they began to talk all at once.

"She's lying, ain't she?"

"If this is true, I'll perform genetic tests to--"

"Logan. Why doesn't somebody ask him--"

"_Excuse me_!" Jubilee's shrill voice, strained, cut above the noise of the crowd. She grabbed Logan by the arm. Her fingernails dug painfully into the T-Shirt she herself had bought him.

"Logan and I have to talk!" She said, her voice high and desperate. Pushing her way through her fellow X-Men, who quickly parted to give her room, she pulled him into the kitchen. She slammed the door. Then she turned and faced him, quivering, though whether it was with shock, surprise or anger, she couldn't tell. 

Behind the closed doors, she exploded.

"Logan, can you tell me what the _fuck_ is going on. Can you tell me just why Mystique _walked_ in here and claimed to be having your…your _baby_?"

"It's not what you think, Jubes, just let me--"  
She held her finger up to his lips, silencing him. Her voice was strangled, but quiet.

"Just tell me it's a lie. That's all I want to hear."

The expression on his face changed, hardened to one she hadn't seen lately. One she had been used to seeing, a long time ago. His emotional shields were going up. And his voice was harsh. And she knew what he was going to say a split-second before he said it.

"It's true."

She just stood there for a second, unable to move, not sure what to say. Her mind was numb, then a buzzing static. Then, as if a door had been opened, thousands of questions came pouring into her head at once. When she tried to speak, it was fragmented.

"But how could--I mean--did you--" She gawked.  
"Listen to me," He said, taking her roughly by the shoulders, making her look into his face.

"How long have we been together?"

"Four and a-half months," She answered instantly, then suddenly felt embarrassed at the teenage compulsion of counting months at all.

"She's six months pregnant--Jubilee, lemme explain something to you. When I was-- well, my old self, I used to get these..."

He paused to grasp a word.

"Moods. These feelings. Like aggression but...I don't know, it's kind of hard to explain. But when I got them, I'd either end up working it out by fighting something or fu-- uh, sleeping with someone. Kinda could channel the energy either way, or somethin' like that."

She was listening soundlessly, her eyes wide, her mouth closed. His excuse had better get a lot better, and fast.

"And I was in one of those moods. I went to one 'a my regular hangouts, an' there was Mystique."

Jubilee stood there, obviously wanting more out of this tale.

"We were two consentin' adults, an' we ended up in bed together. End of story."

He stopped, letting her shoulders go.

"Well, I guess not. Not now, anyway."

Jubilee stood there like a deaf-mute. Logan shrugged his shoulders, trying to get any kind of reaction from her, any sign that she had heard him.

"It was a one-night stand, Jubilee, if even that."

Jubilee suddenly became alive again. Her brows bunched over her eyes, and her lips drew back in a snarl.

"Let me get this straight-- you get horny, so you go so some trashy bar and find Mystique, legs wide open, and you fuck her without a condom? You _stupid_ bastard!"

The words sounded so savage coming out of her own mouth that she almost didn't believe she'd said them. She realized it had come out rather loudly.

"I hope _everyone_ was glad to hear that part," Logan yelled back angrily, and Jubilee realized what he was talking about as his gaze was fixed behind her. 

She threw open the kitchen door and Bobby tumbled in, on top of Jean. Cyclops and Gambit were behind them. Jubilee's rage was nearly blinding, in the literal sense. Sparks spit from her fingertips as she yelled,

"Get out! Get the fuck out! This is none of your fucking business, _get out_!"

Her voice had graduated to a high pitched scream.

Bobby scrambled away, and the rest literally ran, scared to death at the enraged young woman. No one, thus far, had ever seen Jubilee this angry. 

_And they ain't seen nothing yet…_

She turned to Logan, disgust evident in her tone.

"_That's_ your explanation?"

"Yeah." He was totally emotionless now, but she could tell he was scared. Not that he would, or could admit it. The "tough guy." She knew it was just a facade to protect himself. The coward. But what about her? What about the girl he told he'd loved more than life? Jubilee's glare burned into him, and he tried again,

"I got the urge--"

"Stop sounding like a _fucking_ Herbal Essences commercial!"

He tried a different tactic.

"Listen, we can work this out, Jubilee--"

Logan reached out to stroke the side of her face, but she slapped his hand violently away.

"No!" She screamed, and her voice finally cracked as what was happening hit her all at once. "No, we can't! Another woman is having your baby! My baby! It should be _my_ baby!" And before she could stop herself, she was crying and screaming at the same time, and Logan was standing there, helpless.

"I lov--"

"Don't say it!" She screamed so fiercely, he nearly jumped.

"No you don't! No, you don't! Oh, my God," She dropped her head into her hands suddenly.

"What have I done?! I let you... what have I..."

He was afraid to touch her, move in and comfort her.

Looking up, she turned her face away from him and ran out the door, letting it bang shut again on the way out. Logan watched her, standing still in the middle of the suddenly noiseless kitchen. In a moment, he heard the heavy slam of the front door of the mansion.

In all this time he thought he, if anyone, would be the one to run out on her. 

But now he was alone. 

In the middle of his home, surrounded by his friends and family, he was the loneliest he'd ever been in his whole life.

"I love you, Jubilee."

She wasn't around to hear it, and she didn't care.

***

"Hey, Jubil--Oh, honey, come here!"

Jubilee fell into Paige's arms, sobbing against her. Emma Frost showed up in the background.

"Jubilation-- What's wrong?"

She tried to talk, but she was crying too hard. Emma and Paige helped her over to the sofa, where she sat down and let her cry. Emma and Paige looked at each other, helpless.

"Jubilee, honey, we can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong."

"Are you hurt?" Emma asked, baffled at the lack of any external injury.

Jubilee shook her head.

"It's not the X-Men? Something about the X-Men?"

Jubilee didn't answer, but she took the handkerchief Emma offered her. Paige thought hard, then said,

"Jubilee...Sweetie, is this about Logan?"

She nodded, then burst out in a fresh bunch of tears, crying hard enough that Jono and Everett ran into the room. The handkerchief was already soaked through at their arrival.

"Boys...This is a personal matter. I assure you Jubilation is not in any danger here."

They stood and stared.

"Get out of here, you retards! It's girl stuff!" Paige yelled at them angrily, hurling a wad of used tissue.

They left.

Paige held Jubilee against her and rocked her, while Emma kept up a fresh supply of Kleenex. 

"I always knew he was no good," Emma muttered angrily. "Now he's hurt one of my own students." She squeezed Jubilee's hand reassuringly, and said darkly, "I hope he's happy."

***

It was clear that Logan was not happy.

When the rest of the X-Men worked up the nerve to politely knock on the kitchen door, no one answered. When they opened it, the area was empty, and no sign of the huge fight was even visible.

"Maybe...Maybe they went off together to work things out," Bobby said hopefully, still wary that Logan was going to jump out behind a cabinet any minute and slice them to ribbons.

"Don't be so stupid, Bobby," Rogue said irritably, getting herself a glass of milk. "Yah heard th' way they were hollerin' at each other. That ain't somethin' you just work 

out in a day's time."

Jean suddenly clutched her head. Cyclops steadied her.

"What is it?"

"Sorry," Jean said, a little embarrassed. "It was just a message from Emma, over at Gen-X. She said Jubilee is safe there, and will be staying for an indefinite period of time."

"I can't believe it." Cyclops said, shaking his head.

"What, sugah?" Rogue asked, draining her glass of milk.

"This whole thing. First Logan and Jubilee getting together. Now he and Myst..."

The words died on his lips as Mystique walked into the kitchen. She was greeted with a sudden cold silence.

"I'm sorry." She said bluntly. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No, please," Cyclops said falteringly. "I suppose...I suppose you have as much right to be here as the rest of us now. But I'd like to know..."

Mystique looked at him questioningly. Scott's jaw worked as he phrased the question.

"Will you be...staying?"

She sighed, and when she spoke, it was with less hostility and more hopelessness than before. Her whole countenance seemed to sag. She looked very tired, and for the first time, Scott noticed, very pregnant.

"Magneto threw me out. The Brotherhood won't take me. If I could just stay here a while...until I find somewhere..." She stopped and said flatly. "I would pay you, but I don't have any money. It's all back with...Them," 

She finished awkwardly, referring to her former teammates.

To everyone's surprise, Rogue said to her, kindly,

"You can stay here, sugah, as long as you need to, or at least until tha baby's born. I mean, after all--I know Hank's gotta run all those tests, but for now, were assumin' it's Logan's."

She nodded, grateful, but afraid to show it too much. Or trust the X-Men too much.

"There's something else I need to ask, although it might be a little personal." Jean Grey spoke gently too, and for some reason, Mystique wanted to cry. This was nothing like the boys at the Brotherhood, and she was in sore need for kindness right now. She kept her expression perfectly blank.

"What?"

"Have you thought about getting an abortion?"

"Yes," She said. "I have. But I don't know anyone who...would. For the likes of me, I mean. A mutant."

"I'm sure there are some doctors available to mutants for--"

"Yeah," Bobby cut him off. "His name is Beast, an' he lives here with us."

"I am afraid, my friends," Beast said, "I do not know how to perform a procedure of that nature. And, even if I could," He looked away, a little uncomfortable, "I have moral objections."

"What are ya talkin' about, Hank?" Rogue asked disbelievingly. "You got an' objection against solvin' all our problems?"

"No, Rogue, that is not the reason at all. I have a firm belief that life starts--"

"Stop this," Cyclops said, holding up a hand, and shaking his head firmly. "This isn't going to turn into a pro-life-pro-choice debate here. Everyone has his or her own separate opinions, and this," he indicated the mansion with a sweep of his hand, "Should be a place where no one seems challenged, or pushed to change them."

For once Mystique saw just a little bit why everyone else like the X-Men so much. She didn't smile, but she allowed herself to relax a little. Now that she didn't have to hide the fact that she was 6 months into her term any more, her stomach was maternally rounded. They hadn't known what a strain it was, holding her old shape for so long. Cyclops continued.

"Gambit-- You haven't said anything. What do you think?"

"What do I t'ink?" Gambit asked, leaning against the counter. "I t'ink somebody better find Logan befo' he runs so far away he don' know how to come back again."

***

He went to four bars before he found one that didn't card him. The owner was an old friend of his, Mike. He walked in, the smell of dank wood and beer hitting him in the face. He breathed in deeply. He had missed it.

"Hey, kid, get outta here," Mike started, looking up from the tap, then squinted as the figure continued to walk, undaunted, towards him.

"Hey, Wolverine-- that ain't you, is it?"

"In the flesh. Pour me somethin' strong, wouldja?"

"Logan. Shoot, man. What happened to ya?" He asked, looking Wolverine up and down as he wiped a glass clean and filled it with scotch.

"Long story," Logan said as he settled himself on the stool.

"You gonna be around here for long?"

"Nah. Movin' out again."

"Where to?"

"Ain't sure yet. Canada, probably. Maybe Japan." He took a drink, grinned at the satisfying way it burned his throat.

"Maybe someplace farther."

***

Time heals all wounds.

Some better than others.

Weeks had passed. Three weeks and four days, by her count. And Jubilation Lee wasn't feeling quite so jubilant anymore. She did a lot less talking now, and a lot more thinking. She wondered, every day, when Mystique was going to have the baby. She wondered if Logan was still at the X-Mansion. She wondered why it still hurt so much just to think about him.

_No. He's somewhere far away by now. I'd bet my life on it. In his head, he was probably gone the minute we stepped into the kitchen._

"You'll get over it," Emma had assured her, after she'd spent the whole first day back at Gen-X crying her eyes out. "It's just a man, after all, and men--pah!" 

She spit, and walked away disgusted. Jubilee knew that was as close as she got to sympathy, and was thankful for it.

She felt like a zombie. Every day, she got up, put on clothes, went downstairs, ate breakfast, assured them all she was OK. She wasn't OK. And she wasn't over it, and now she was hating herself for holding on. She kept a picture of them beside her bedside table, in a drawer. Beside the pictures was a ring.

It had been a series of pictures, actually. She remembered the day, clearly,

***

She and Logan were sitting beside a lake, beside the X-Mansion. She was eating popcorn, throwing some to the ducks, saving some for herself. It gave her deja vu for some reason. 

She shrugged it off and turned to Logan.

"You ever wanna get married?" 

She loved being able to talk so openly to him. Finally, she'd been waiting to for years before he'd gotten younger, and the opportunity had fallen, quite literally in her lap.

"I don't know," Came his reply, as he looked over at her. His head was cradled on her legs, and he squinted up at her, chewing on a stalk of grass. "Depends. I'd get married to you. Do you want to?"

"Actually, not especially," She said, almost surprising herself with the candidness of her words.

"I mean, what's the point? If you know you love the person..."

"Then it's just a bunch a' legal work an' hassle. I know what ya' mean." He sat up, and then turned to face her, taking some of the popcorn and chewing it thoughtfully.

"I love you."

She looked up smiling. It was still nice to hear it.

"I love you too."

Then, grinning lopsidedly, he took out a ring.

"Jubilation Lee, will you marry me?"

She started laughing.

"Logan, that's a Cracker-Jack's ring."

He looked at her, exaggerated disappointment on his face.

"Is that a no?"

"It's a yes, you psycho!" She said, delighted. He slipped the ring on her finger.   
"May I now kiss th' bride?"

"Mmmm," She answered, and leaned forward. 

It was a very simple kiss, and short, but so sweet.

Click! FLASH!

She shielded her face instinctively, and Logan's claws came out as he blinked a few times to clear his vision. When he did, he saw Storm standing there with a camera, looking embarrassed.

"Please don't be frightened, I'm sorry," She said quickly. "It was such a beautiful day, and I came out to photograph nature. I stumbled across the two of you and..." She blushed. "It was just too perfect." She looked at the two of them.

"I hope you don't mind?"

"Gimme that thing, weather witch!" Logan growled.

***

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked through the rest of the pictures. The back of Storm's head as she ran, screaming, from Logan, a picture of Logan's foot as she struggled the camera away from him, and then...One of him smiling. His shirt was off, and his hair was alternately in his eyes and sticking up in strange places. He was wet because of the impromptu thunderstorm Ororo had let loose on him after he'd swiped the camera. He was grinning, straight into the camera. She looked at the photo that was framed. It was of the kiss. She certainly looked smitten, one hand feeling the ring on her finger as he kissed her.

_If you wanna know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss_

She shook her head to clear it. Never listen to oldies when you're in a sentimental mood. She turned off her her radio.

Still… she carefully studied his face as she hummed. 

__

Is it in his eyes, oh no, that's just his charm.

His eyes were closed, she noted with a smile, and he was leaning in with his whole body towards her. 

__

In his warm embrace, oh no, that's just his arms.

One hand was up, inches away from caressing her face, as if he was afraid to touch her. The other was reaching for her own. 

There was no doubt he loved her, stupid old song or no. She'd been denying herself this fact, because…Why? 

Because it made her more miserable to think that somewhere, he was missing her too?

She put the photos away, slamming the drawer. She looked at the wall, to the ticking clock. 9 PM. She missed him. She wanted him back. 

_No you don't. Jubilee, he'll only break your heart._

She walked down the stairs, through the darkened house.

_And that's the ultimate question, isn't it? Is it worth it?_

It wasn't something she could answer right away.

"Hey, babe,"

She jumped, startled, then her hand fluttered to her chest.

"Angelo! Geez, you scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry, what'cha doin' up so late, chica? Takin' pity on yourself again?"

"Something like that," she said, wryly. As she walked over to join him on the couch, she noticed the telltale board in the kitchen floor was missing. No wonder he sounded drunk.

"Wanna join me for a little...consolation?" He swished the bottle of vodka around a little. Jubilee collapsed on the sofa. 

"Sounds terrific."

***

He couldn't do it.

He tried to leave, three times. And he couldn't do it.

_Damnit, Logan. Letting some frail get to you this bad..._

He'd been holed up in a ratty hotel for the last...Four weeks? He'd lost count. Day and night were the same. Get drunk, go to bed, sleep. He turned over on the stained mattress to look up at the cracks in the ceiling. He popped a claw and speared a cockroach that was scurrying about on the bed, then lay back and listened to the voices tumbling about in his head.

_What the hell am I doing here? _

She don't want you no more, Logan.

So why ain't I goin', already? 

Why ain't I gone?

He groaned and rolled over on his stomach. All he had on was an old pair of jeans. He hadn't taken a shower in days. He hadn't brushed his teeth in...Well, he didn't have a toothbrush. 

_Letting yourself rot in yer own self pity._

He sat up, and got off the bed. This was it. Jubilee didn't want him, the X-Men...Well, they could deal with Mystique themselves. Damn her. She was the one that had started all this trouble in the first place. 

It was all her fault, the stupid whore.

_Oh, so you layin' her had nothing to do with it._

"Rrrrrghh!" With a noise somewhere between human and animal, he held his head in his hands. Talking to himself was not a good sign. He barely remembered that night, anyway. Why did it have to come back and bite him in the ass like that? He'd had plenty of other one-night-stands, and none of the rest had had accidents. Unless.

Logan shuddered and paled as he imagined hundreds of women ringing his doorbell to deliver unwanted children. Tens of thousands of little Logans. Okay, maybe not quite that many, but when the prospect of just _one_ was this terrifying…

"I gotta get out of here before I go nuts," He said out loud to himself. He put on his boots, the only item he had brought, besides his shirt, and that had been torn up in a fight somewhere. He paid an old toothless man for the stay at the front desk. The man grinned, taking the money with Tobacco-stained fingers.

Logan stepped out into the street, relishing the cool wind over his bare skin, then walked to the parking garage. Tilting his head back, he was glad for the fresh air. He was gonna do it this time. Get on the motorcycle and ride to--He suddenly caught a familiar scent, and his eyes snapped open.

"Goin' somewhere, homme?"

Two red eyes glowed in the dark. He turned towards Gambit.

"What the hell are y' doin' here, Gumbo? Go home."

"I don' think so."

Wolverine's eyes darkened menacingly.

"Whaddya mean, 'I don't think so?' Whaddya want?"

"You gotta go back to the chere, Jubilee. I figured I owed it to you fo' tellin' me to go to Rogue."

"She don't want me, Gambit," He said, hurting himself with his own words. "Now move outta the way."

Gambit didn't move. Wolverine's claw's unsheathed.

"Dammit, Gambit! Don't make me hurt you!"

"I'm afraid you leave me no choice," Gambit said, sighing, and in a second Wolverine's whole motorcycle was illuminated, glowing pink. Wolverine blinked a few times, disbelievingly.

"Ya charged it?"

"You can kill me if you want, but de motorcycle goes. You're not leaving."

He meant it. The crazy Cajun really meant it. Logan caught a faint whiff of fear. He shook his head, and sheathed his claws. 

"Why are ya tryin' to get me to go back, Gambit?" He asked, finally. Gambit's voice echoed in the garage.

"De chere...She love you, even if she mad right now. An' wit'out you, I don' no if she ever gonna be happy again. I know you ain't. And if you run away..."

He stopped, and there was a flame and curl of smoke as he lit a cigarette.

"How bout we jus' say, I know a good t'ing when I see one."

There was a sudden flicker as the kinetic energy left the motorcycle.

Logan stood there for a moment, both of them unmoving. 

She wanted him?

No.

Maybe.

"Hop on, Gumbo. Let's get the hell out of here."

***

"So then we get to the hotel...It was a nice hotel...it had, like...a pool, and a shower, an', like velvet curtains..."

"Uh-huh?"

Jubilee and Angelo sat on the couch. They were finishing off the bottle between them, and although they were both too drunk to really talk or listen, they were doing both.

"And then we..uh...you know..." Jubilee laughed drunkenly. Angelo did too, even though he had no idea why.

"It hurt a little at first, and then....it felt fucking good...it lasted, like, forever…healing factor," She giggled, and Angelo blushed as he suddenly realized what she was babbling about. She seemed drift off, and then grew suddenly angry, "And then...then he left me 'cause that stupid blue bitch is having his baby. Or did I leave him? Oh, fuckin' hell..."

She slammed her hand down on the table, making them both jump. Then they both laughed. Then Angelo looked confused.

"Whasso funny?"

"Huh? I dunno.." Jubilee said, taking down the last of the bottle. She giggled and began to sing drunkenly, "I got the uuuurrrrggee."

"Hey...um...Jubilee.." Angelo said, momentarily forgetting her name in his drunkenness.

"Whattisit, Gumbo?"

"I'm Angelo."

"Whatever."

He smiled. The world wobbled a little. 

"Tu estas muy hermosa."

She looked confused for a second, then slurred.

"I don't speak _espanol_, stupid."

He looked just as confused.

"Oh, yeah." He stopped to finish his glass. Thought a minute, then managed:

"You're very pretty."

She grinned at him.

"Thank you, _handsome_..." she drawled, spilling vodka from her glass as she did so. She seemed to take no heed.

Not quite sure what he was doing, or if it was really even him doing it, Angelo leaned over and kissed her. He missed, first, his lips catching the side of her face, then touching her own. She closed her eyes, and leaned into it. She sighed against his ear,

"Oh, Logan..."

As if on cue, the door was thrown open. Angelo didn't even have time to be angry at Jubilee's confusion with names. He and Jubilee looked up like deer caught in the proverbial headlights.

"Oh…Logan?" She asked, her vision swimming. Waitaminute…He was really there? Dressed in only jeans and boots? Angelo looked about ready to wet his pants.

"Jubilee!" He called, even though he had already obviously seen her. Ignoring Angelo, Logan ran to her. She stumbled up, and collapsed in his arms. He turned menacingly to Skin, who was sitting in a drunken stupor on the sofa.

"What'd you do to her? If ya tried anything at all, I swear ta god I'll castrate ya!"

Angelo blinked and his mouth dropped open. It didn't look like he was going to talk anytime soon. Logan, holding the limp Jubilee over one arm, picked up the bottle and checked the proof. His nostrils flared.

"You stupid bastard! You coulda killed her, I should..." Angelo's eyes widened further at the claws, and he started shaking his head.

"Hey, hey, por favor, hombre, please, please, don' kill me. I didn't do nothin!" 

The kid looked like he was about to cry. Containing his rage, Logan managed to get Jubilee back out the door. She looked up at him, and two tears streaked down her face. He could smell the alcohol on her breath like a poisonous perfume. She struggled to speak.

"Logan...Logan issat really you?"

"Yeah, Jubilee baby, I'm here."

"Logan..." She said, beaming brilliantly at him. He thought he'd never seen a more beautiful smile. 

Then she threw up on his shoes.

***

Waking up was the stupidest thing she'd ever done in a long time, she concluded.

"Uuuuuunnnhhh."

In one corner of the room, the noise awakened Gambit, who was sleeping peacefully in an armchair.

"Here dere, chere. Nice to see you still alive."

"Shut up." She groaned. 

Her head was splitting in two, she was sure of it. Her brain was just gonna slosh out on the sheets, and the stupid Cajun was gonna haveta clean it all up. The thought made her nauseous, and she dry heaved.

Quickly, Gambit was at her side. She painfully opened one eye to look at him, the natural light almost blinding her, then noticed the other figure in the room.

"What's _he_ doing here?"

There was a faint tone of resentment in her voice, and Gambit grew defensive at this.

"I don't think you should be kickin' Wolverine out jus' yet chere."

She gave up and let her aching head down on the bed.

"Why not?" She asked sulkily into the covers.

"Well, le homme jus' spent de entire night watchin' you puke yo' guts up into a bucket, fo' one."

He crossed his arms and looked over at Logan, who was snoring softly in a chair beside the bed, and smirked at the miserable girl

"If dat ain't love, den I don' know what is."

"But…" Jubilee started, and trailed off. Gambit smiled, and held out a hand.

"Here, chere, take dese. Dey make you feel better."

She reluctantly took the extra-strength Tylenol from Gambit. Then she managed a weak smile.

"Thanks. Bitch of a hangover, you know, Gumbo."

He nodded his welcome.

"Hey, Remy?"

He looked over at Jubilee, at her change of tone. It was softer, more subdued. He came over and stroked her hair, which was still damp with sweat.

"Yes, chere?"

"Don't let him leave, ok?"

"I ain' goin' nowhere."

Logan didn't exactly smile as he spoke. His eyes were still closed, but he wasn't frowning, and that was close enough.

***

She had dreaded it. He had dreaded it. And Mystique had dreaded it. It was 'The Talk,' and Jean assured them all repeatedly that it was necessary. The dialogue between the shapeshifter and Logan was brief.

"Mystique…"

"Call me Raven, Logan."

"Right, Raven. I know there ain't nothin' between us now, but, I want ya ta know, you're not…" He swallowed. Get it out. "You're not alone when it comes to th' kid. I mean, the little guy's half mine, ain't he?"

He gestured to Mystique's stomach, and managed to smile. He had done it.

"I know this is kinda unusual an' all.."

"No, let me thank you, Logan. Apart from going back and changing that whole night, this is the best thing you could've done."

Logan smiled.

"Hey, take care of yourself, huh, Raven?"

She smiled back.

"I will."

He leaned in and akwardly kissed her on the cheek, then left.

***

The conversation with Jubilee was quite different.

"So, what I wanna know is, like, how do _you_ feel about this whole thing?"

Mystique was surprised. Throughout the ordeal, no one had asked how she felt. They asked about her health, of course. Sick, well. But not her emotions. It just hadn't been important. She eyed Jubilee suspiciously.

"I'm feeling just fine, Jubilation."

Jubilee cocked her head, and asked.

"Why are you always so cold and distant?"

"What?" The question caught Mystique off guard.

"Are you, like, afraid when you go back to Magneto, we're gonna tell him you haven't been evil enough here or something?"

Mystique looked at her like she was crazy. Then, a sort of half smile appeared on her face.

"You know, Jubilation, I'm beginning to like you a little better."

"Than what? Did you hate me before?"

Mystique actually let herself smile.

"I thought you were annoying."

Jubilee huffed, then shrugged. "Can't say I blame you. I hated you for a while. For stealing my man and having his child and all."

"But you don't any more?"

"Nah," She said, examining her nails. "I figger Wolvie an' I'll have kids someday. Until then…"

She paused, like she was anxious about something.

"What is it?" Mystique asked, wondering what had suddenly got the easygoing girl so tensed up..

"Well…Logan and I talked about…I mean…Would you consider putting the baby up for adoption?"

Mystique was literally speechless for a second.

"You mean to you?" She blurted.

"Yeah! I mean, it's half his kid, and that way I'd have one without swollen feet and whatnot, and we" Jubilee hurried on "…We really want that baby. That is, if you want to give it up."

They walked in silence for a moment.

"I'll have to think about it," Mystique said carefully, at last. "But, at this point, I think it sounds pretty good. I'm not prepared to take on another child right now."

Jubilee practically radiated happiness.

"Thank you so, so, much."

Mystique smiled again, despite herself.

"Think nothing of it, Jubilation."

"Well…" She grinned. "Thanks anyway. And by the way…"

Mystique looked up questioningly.

"Call me Jubilee, huh?"


End file.
